The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) - Fishery Statistics Division (FSD), conducted the Operational Training on Fisheries last last 1 – 3 March, 2021 through virtual platform. PSA Region 7 joined the nationwide training together with the four (4) provinces in the region namely: Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental and Siquijor. This was conducted in order to orient and re-orient the personnel involved on the different concepts and definitions, procedures, responsibilities and timetable of the quarterly survey as well as the reasons why PSA conducts the quarterly fisheries survey.

Agricultural statistics is one of the inputs in the compilation of national accounts. Data sets are also used for policy making and program implementation on the agricultural sector. One of the subsectors in agriculture is fisheries. It is further subdivided into three more areas namely: commercial, municipal and aquaculture. There are four (4) quarterly surveys that generate volume and value of production by species at the national, regional and provincial level. Statistics generated through the conduct of surveys serves as input to the following: compilation of national accounts, estimation of performance of agriculture, policy making and program implementation, researches and studies.

Commercial Fisheries covers fishing operations in marine waters beyond 15 kilometers from the shoreline by fishing boats with more than three (3) gross tons. It serves as the activity that gathers information on volume and price of species unloaded in the landing center. It aims to generate volume and value of commercial fisheries production by species by quarter at the provincial, regional and national levels.

Municipal Fisheries covers fishing operations performed in marine waters within 15 kilometers from the shoreline using fishing vessels of three (3) gross tons or less, or fishing not requiring the use of fishing vessels. It also covers fishing operations performed in inland bodies of water using fishing vessels of three (3) gross tons or less, or fishing not requiring the use of fishing vessels. The municipal fisheries gather volume and value of production and value of marine municipal and inland fisheries production by species per quarter at the provincial, regional and national levels. It is in 2021 that the redesigned Inland Fisheries survey will be fully implemented nationwide and will be using a new data processing system to aid in the processing of estimates for every province.

Aquaculture involves the propagation and culturing of fish and other fishery species in farming facility such as fishpond, fish pen, and fish cage. It also includes oyster, mussel and seaweed culture. It gathers information on volume and price of species harvested in the aquafarms. It aims to generate volume and value of production by aquafarm, type, species per quarter at the provincial, regional and national levels.

As mandated under Republic Act No. 10625 or the “Philippine Statistical Act of 2013”, the PSA shall primarily be responsible for the implementation of the objectives and provisions of R.A. 10625. It shall plan, develop, prescribe, disseminate and enforce policies, rules and regulations and coordinate government-wide programs governing the production of official statistics, general-purpose statistics, and civil registration services. It is also primarily responsible for all national censuses and surveys, sectoral statistics, consolidation of selected administrative recording systems and compilation of national accounts of which fishery surveys plays a vital role.