TACLOBAN CITY — Despite having one of the longest coastlines in the country and the highest number of registered fishing vessels, Eastern Visayas saw a 5.2 percent decline in overall fish production in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year.

According to a report released Wednesday by the Philippine Statistics Authority, the regional office in Eastern Visayas said the decline was due to an 11 percent drop in municipal fisheries production.

The region’s total fishery output was 25,955 metric tons, down from 27,370 metric tons in the second quarter of 2024.

The report noted substantial drops in municipal fishing production in Biliran (51.8 percent), Leyte (37.6 percent) and Eastern Samar (29.8 percent). This decline occurred even with no major weather disturbances in recent months.

Fishermen working in areas like Carigara Bay and Leyte Gulf have complained of dwindling catches due to heavy competition from other fishers in the same waters.

Data from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources shows that Eastern Visayas had 45,215 registered municipal fishing vessels in 2023, the highest number among all regions that year. This suggests that more boats do not necessarily lead to higher yields and could indicate overfishing in local waters.

While municipal fishing declined, the report highlighted growth in other sectors. Commercial fishing production increased by 2.2 percent and accounted for 24 percent of the region’s total fishery output.

Meantime, aquaculture saw a significant boost of 55.1 percent, with production rising to 1,865 metric tons from 1,202 metric tons last year.

Among the six provinces, Eastern Samar recorded the largest increase in commercial fishery production, growing by 35.3 percent.