SUPPLY ANALYSIS OF AYUNGIN IN RIZAL

“Silver therapon, locally known as Ayungin, is regarded as one of the most

valuable edible native freshwater species because of its tasty flesh. Despite the

declining trend in wild stocks of silver therapon, demand for this food fish species

remains high although this fish costs three times more than other fishes like Tilapia and

Bangus.

About six decades ago, the production of Ayungin was once considerable in the

90,000-hectare Laguna de Bay. This fish constituted 95 percent (about 83,000 t) of the

annual fish harvest (Manalang & Diaz, 2017). However, there are no policies in catching

this fish in the lake the place everybody can trap it whenever and anywhere. Intense

fishing pressure and more recently, the proliferation of the invasive alien species in

Laguna de Bay contributed to the decline in the manufacturing of Ayungin. There used

to be a big downward production trend of Ayungin via as an awful lot as 75% from 4,675

t in 2002 to 1,182 t in 2020 (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2021b).

This publication on Fisheries Statistics of the Philippines for the years 2016 to

2018 presents the data on volume and value of production of fisheries during the three

years. It contains information by major species of the three (3) fisheries subsectors,

namely, commercial, municipal fisheries, and aquaculture. It shows the fisheries

statistics from the four (4) fisheries surveys regularly conducted by the Philippine

Statistics Authority (PSA). The surveys are: Quarterly Commercial Fisheries Survey

(QCFS), Quarterly Municipal Fisheries Survey (QMFS), Quarterly Inland Fisheries

Survey (QIFS) and Quarterly Aquaculture Survey (QAqS).

 The QCFS gathers data on volume of unloading on sample traditional landing

centers of the subsector.

The sample landing centers were selected using stratified simple random sampling

method. A structured survey form, QCFS Form 1, is used to record information.The

volume of catch of inland fishing households are obtained through the QIFS. Simple

random sampling was employed in the selection of sample inland fishing household.

QIFS Form 1 is utilized to obtain data from household head or any knowledgeable

member of the sample household. The survey form captures the volume of catch and

price of 34 inland species in 76 provinces.

Data collection for aquaculture surveys was conducted in sample farms that operate,

raise and culture fish and other fishery species in marine, brackish and freshwater

environment. The respondents of the survey were aquafarm operators, technicians or

knowledgeable household members of the farm operator. Supervision of data collection

was the responsibility of the Provincial Statistics Officers (PSO). Spot-checking and

back- checking activities were conducted by the Central Office (CO) staff in selected

provinces to ensure accuracy of data gathered.

Considered as one of the most expensive freshwater fishes in the country,

Ayungin or silver perch is a small fish that is classified as among the near-threatened

species in the Philippines. It is indigenous to Laguna de Bay and is claimed to have

been introduced to other water bodies including Taal Lake in Batangas and Sampaloc

Lake in Laguna. Despite declines in populations and commercial catches within Laguna

de Bay in recent years, the demand for Ayungin remains strong and, thus, still

commands a relatively high price. Here at Sampaloc, an upland barangay of Tanay

Rizal, the price of Ayungin is ranging from P300 – P400 per kilo of whole fish, either

fresh or dried, and depending on the season). The demand is high because locals find

its flesh tasty and delicious and is mostly preferred over other edible native freshwater

species. But the supply of it is continuously decreasing for it is classified as among the

near-threatened species in the Philippines. Ayungin is mostly preferred over other

edible native freshwater species.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leiopotherapon_plumbeus#:~:text=Leiopotherapon

%20plumbeus%2C% 20known%20commonly%20as,bugaong%2C%20bigaong%2C

%20and%20bagaong.

https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/Fisheries%20Statistics%20of%20the%20Philippines

%2C%202016- 2018.pdf

https://www.hatcheryinternational.com/silver-lining-for-overfished-philippines-

freshwater-favourite/

https://www.philstar.com/business/agriculture/2017/07/15/1723995/reviving-ayungin-

culture-laguna https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/fishsit_jan_dec2002.pdf

http://www.nfrdi.da.gov.ph/tpjf/vol22/Contribution%20to%20the%20Biology%20of

%20Ayungin,%20The rapon%20Plumbeus%20Kner.pdf