Rice and fish are the staple food of Filipinos. Although rice receives considerable attention in the media, fish is not given much prominence. Following a recent typhoon, for instance, fishing is only briefly mentioned, primarily in relation to the damage caused to fish pens. This neglect is due to the fact there are alternative protein sources available, such as chicken, fish, and beef.
But rice is a different story. Rice is life among Filipinos. On average, Filipinos consume between 114 and 120 kilograms of rice per person each year. This figure is nearly double the global average of 65 kilograms per capita annually, according to Dr. Eufemio Rasco, Jr., the former director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).
A report from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) states the average per capita fish consumption of Filipinos is 40 kilograms per year, which is significantly higher than the global average. “Filipinos get more than 50 percent of their dietary protein from aquatic resources,” it said.
Unlike those alternative sources of protein, fish is much healthier. In fact, fish consumption is good for the heart. “A diet that includes fatty fish (fish with more than 5% fat) has long been touted to support heart health,” wrote Matthew Solan, executive editor of Harvard Men’s Health Watch. “Population-based studies have found that people who regularly eat fatty fish have a lower risk of heart disease compared with those who don’t eat fish.”
Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health, agrees. “If you eat a modest amount of fish, you dramatically decrease your risk of dying from a heart attack.”
Findings from 30 large studies conducted around the world show that people who consume just one or two servings of fish per week lower their risk of a fatal heart attack by an average of 36 percent, according to Dr. Mozaffarian.
Unfortunately, the consumption of fish is decreasing. This decline is not due to a growing aversion to fish among Filipinos, but rather because of its diminishing availability. As a result of this scarcity, fish has become inaccessible to a significant portion of the population.
In 2024, the total fisheries production fell to 4.05 million metric tons, reflecting a 5.0 percent decrease from the 4.26 million metric tons recorded in 2023. This figure represents the lowest production level in twenty years, according to the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority.
Unknowingly, fish production in the Philippines is in serious decline. “Where have all our fish gone?” Filipino consumers asked.
The major fishing grounds in the country are West Palawan waters, Sulu Sea, Visayan Sea, Moro Gulf, Davao Gulf and others. From 1992 to 1995, these fishing grounds constituted more than 65% of the total commercial fishing catch. (The fishing industry provided employment to about one million Filipinos or around 3% of the country’s labor force in 1998.)
Today, the scenario has completely changed. Most of these fishing grounds are overfished.
Unless something is done soon, fish production may soon collapse. A study done in Sogod Bay in Southern Leyte showed the aquatic marine resources of the area have been deteriorating in recent years.
Home to a variety of fishes, Sogod Bay is a major fishing ground for the 11 municipalities that surround it, according to Dr. Salome Bulayog, who conducted the study when she was still an associate professor of the department of economics at the Visayas State University.
Mangko or frigate tuna (scientific name: Euthynnus affinis) is its major fishery resource. The seasonal influx of this shallow-water tuna species has provided food and livelihood to the people of Sogod and nearby municipalities.
“Frigate tuna used to abound in Sogod Bay and was a major source of income in the 70’s until the 90’s,” said Dr. Bulayog. “But today, fishermen could hardly catch fish.”
“Likewise, reef species population is also dwindling,” added the study. “Fishermen have to spend longer to catch a kilogram of fish; some even have to be farther from the shore.”
Davao Gulf, recognized as the 10th principal fishing area in the country, is experiencing a similar situation. Research conducted by the World Fish Center, based in Kuala Lumpur, indicates that since the year 2000, both the quantity and quality of fish in this region have been consistently declining.
Except for the maya-maya, the catch rates for the other nine species have been decreasing. If this trend continues, species such as caraballas, bilong-bilong, molmol, and danggit could vanish entirely from Davao Gulf within the next ten years, according to the study.
Although matambaka, tamban, and moro-moro show greater resilience, they too may face extinction within a generation, the study warned.
“We are running out of fish and running out of time. For a country known for marine biodiversity, there are very few fish left to catch,” deplored Vince Cinches, who used to be the Oceans Campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia.
“Like the other vital resources such as forests, Philippine fisheries are about to collapse,” deplored Jethro P. Adang, the director of Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC), a non-government organization based in Bansalan, Davao del Sur.
With so many mouths to feed, there is not enough supply of fish for everyone. A policy brief published by The Philippine Journal of Fisheries stated: “The human population of the Philippines is expected to reach 158 million by the year 2050, or an increase of 37% relative to 2022. This implies increased demand for fish. This begs the question of whether the country can meet the expected increase in fish demand.
The authors of the policy brief further stated, “We estimate that even if the Philippines can maintain its current fish production, the Philippines will still require 1.67 million metric tons more fish per year by 2050 to at least maintain its current per capita fish consumption of 34.27 kilograms per year.” (To be continued)
