BY: VANESSA BUGTONG
A decrease in fish production in the Cordillera region is worrying local fish farmers, as fish kills continue to affect their primary source of income.
According to 2023 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, fisheries output in the region dropped by 9.9%, mainly due to water contamination and environmental challenges.
Sixty-year-old Ramon Calde from Bauko, Mountain Province, has been fish farming since 1997.
What started as a backyard project eventually expanded into a livelihood and a learning site.
He now serves as a speaker for agrarian reform beneficiaries.
However, Ramon said one of the biggest challenges is the use of harmful chemicals by nearby rice farmers.
“Many apply herbicides and snail killers. These chemicals end up in our water sources, which flow into the fish ponds. A lot of fish die or the water becomes stagnant,” he said.
To address this, Calde and other locals pushed for a policy discouraging farmers from using such chemicals in shared areas like rice terraces to protect fish production.
Despite these efforts, Lois June Fermin, Regional Director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – Cordillera (BFAR-CAR), said the region’s fisheries sector still struggles to keep up with larger coastal industries.
“Our production is small compared to what comes from the ocean, so Cordillera fisheries haven’t become an industry yet. But what we can offer is quality—local and clean fish products produced right here,” she explained.
The region’s fisherfolk also face climate-related challenges. “Usually during the dry season, water becomes scarce in some fish ponds. And during rainy season, we deal with flooding. We can’t control the weather, so we just try to adjust,” said Ronelle Polon, the 2025 Regional Fisherfolk Director.
These issues took center stage during BFAR-CAR’s celebration of the 36th Farmers and Fisherfolk Month held on April 29.
Fermin admitted that their budget for fisheries development is limited.
“Our program is small. In fact, we have the smallest budget among all sectors nationwide—we only received about 104 million pesos, including salaries,” he shared.
Still, BFAR-CAR continues to explore solutions to fish kill and its impact on both livelihood and public health.
Ongoing studies and community policies are being developed to safeguard the region’s freshwater fish industry.
