CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines — The National Economic and Development Authority in Central Visayas (NEDA 7) reported that the region’s aquaculture business has posted a 6.6 percent increase in production last year, particularly in the seaweed business.

According to the agency, the expansion of seaweed farms in Bohol as well as the establishment of additional ponds for fish and vannamei culture in various areas in the region contributed to such increase in aquaculture production.

According to NEDA 7, aquaculture for the past several quarters, has been the impetus for growth in the fishery sector, with aquaculture accounting for 50 percent of the region’s fishery production.

On the other hand, the agency said commercial fishery production in Central Visayas has been declining since 2008. One reason for decline in said commercial activity, NEDA 7 said, is the worsening impact of climate change on the region’s marine resources.

“Commercial fishing operations are forced to reduce their fishing trips because the volume of their fish catch is not enough to cover the high cost of fishing activities,” NEDA 7 said.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Customs in Cebu (BoC-Cebu) reported a 46 percent jump in marine export products and processed fruit exports in Cebu in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2010.

Exports of processed marine products in the first quarter of 2011 reached 206 Twenty foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) or 41 percent higher compared to the same period in 2010 which was only 146 TEUs.

Exported processed marine products mainly comprise of frozen scallops, cuttle fish, octopus, abalone, canned crabmeat and shrimps.

Based on Cebu’s export-import statistics from the BoC-Cebu, at least 696 TEUs of food were exported by Cebu-based exporters in the first three months of 2011 compared to 475 TEUs recorded in the same period of 2010.