KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews / 6 March) – Fisheries production in Region 12 or Soccsksargen region plunged by 13.2 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority – Region 12 (PSA-12) showed. The year-on-year performance of the fisheries sector in the region indicated a drop from 336,462 metric tons (MT) in 2024 to 292,150 MT in 2025. Maqtahar Manulon, PSA-12 director, attributed the reduction to declines across all subsectors—commercial, municipal fisheries, and aquaculture. Marine municipal fisheries suffered the most significant decline at 66.6 percent, followed by municipal fisheries at 49.3 percent. Commercial fisheries remained the dominant contributor to the regional output, accounting for 85.4 percent at 249,563 MT, though it decreased by 4.9 percent from 2024. Municipal fisheries output totaled 26,782.81 MT, a 49.3 percent drop, while marine municipal fisheries production fell to 11,897.57 MT, a 66.6 percent decrease. Inland municipal fisheries output declined by 14 percent to 14,885.24 MT, and aquaculture production decreased by 26 percent to 15,804.39 MT. Region 12 comprises South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, and Kidapawan. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
