The Philippines ranked 11th among the top fish producing countries in the world in 2003 with production of 2.63 MT of fish, crustaceans, mollusks and aquatic plants (including seaweed).

As an archipelagic state with over 2.2 million km2 of highly productive seas, the Philippines is fortunate to have vast fishery resources at its disposal. However, all the country’s main fish species and marine organisms are showing signs of over fishing.

There is a growing trend towards increased mechanization in operations in the fish processing industry. A lot of opportunities that lined along the fishing industry demands change in its operation and much of its development.

With a vast area of water resources, the locals of Davao Oriental are engaged in fishing as their means of livelihood. However, there are incidents that show overfishing slowly depleting fish resources and its environment.

Nonetheless, there are new ways of keeping the balance of nature especially when aquaculture was introduced as another means of producing fish products. This is a promising area for development.

- Fish ponds

- 5 Tilapia nurseries

- 1 Fresh water fish breeding / Germplasm Center

- 6,300 fisher folks

- Local traders

- Fish processors

- Fish pond operators