Western Visayas remains the 4th largest fish producer in the country, with a 9.1 percent share to the country's total production for 2011.

The recent data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) said Region 6 produced a total volume of 450,886.2 metric tons or 2.1 percent higher than 2010 fish production of 441,557.9 metric tons.

Meanwhile, a release from the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) showed that for the past 32 years, Western Visayas is consistently among the top five regions with large fish production.

In 2011, the top-fish producing regions are Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao - 909,319.9 MT, Mimaropa - 728,975.2 MT, Zamboanga Peninsula - 619,557.0 MT, Western Visayas - 450,886.2 MT, Calabarzon - 402,848.9 MT and Bicol Region - 289,006.4 MT.

The data further showed that of the 17 regions, only six improved its fishery production from 2010 to 2011.

These regions are the provinces of Ilocos region which posted a growth of 9.3 percent, Cagayan Valley - 4.1%, CAR - 3.6%, Western Visayas - 2.1%, ARMM and Mimaropa with a growth of less than one percent.*PIA