The Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department said the country's fisheries sector has been declining over the last five years, citing rising input costs and intensifying climate change effects, as reported by Philstar Biz.
Higher costs for fuel, feed, and other inputs have squeezed fishers and fish farmers, while extreme weather events, warming waters, and changes in fish migration patterns have disrupted catches and aquaculture production.
The sustained decline threatens food security, livelihoods of coastal communities, and the country's fish supply, prompting calls for targeted government interventions to boost resilience and productivity in the fisheries sector.