The Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) for 1993-1998 was drawn up to achieve full industrialization by the year 2000. The blueprint of development as spelled out in this MTPDP is committed to the improvement of the quality of life of the people (NEDA, 1993). Alleviation of poverty and promotion of equity through agro-industrial development is its major goal. The plan emphasizes the modernization, improvement in productivity and aggressive product diversification of the agriculture sector to meet the food requirements of the population. The development of the fishery industry ranks high among the priorities of this development plan (Geron, 1993). The aquaculture sector, which had taken the backseat to capture fisheries, has now been accorded the key role in leading the development of the fishery industry. As early as in the 1980s, aquaculture was recognized as an essential component of integrated rural development that would provide an important source of fish protein to augment capture fisheries and to provide employment (Roldan, 1983).
Aquaculture production has delivered part of its production potential, but is currently limited by several constraints. Population growth is outstripping food fish production. There are few signs that degradation of the aquatic environment is easing up. The negative impacts of pollution, on both capture fisheries and aquaculture, are becoming more apparent. Even the yield of the municipal fishery sub-sector, traditionally the main source of fish for domestic consumption, has declined steadily over the past ten years (BFAR, 1995). Recently, freshwater aquaculture has been identified as a means for providing the greatest prospects for growth among various sectors of the fisheries industry (BFAR, 1993).
In the light of current government efforts to accelerate the growth of freshwater aquaculture (DA, 1991; BFAR, 1993), which is the focus of this study, aquaculture should be assessed in terms of its socio-economic influence on fish production, accessibility and consumption. Hence, this study seeks to provide an understanding of production, accessibility and consumption patterns of aquacultural products with emphasis on freshwater aquaculture to determine requisites for sustained growth and development. This study also examines factors that influence accessibility and consumption patterns as a means of increasing the availability of aquaculture products and with a view of improving the well-being of consumers. The next section discusses the contribution of aquaculture to the fishery sector, production systems performance, and the production trends of main cultured species by production systems and environment. This section also provides an overview of modes of operation (stand-alone, part of farming system), farm ownership, farm size and objectives (subsistence, market-oriented) of those engaged in aquaculture. The third section reviews sectoral and macro-economic policies, as they may influence markets and access, export earnings, local consumption and priority policy action for the development of the aquaculture industry, particularly freshwater aquaculture. The fourth section discusses the supply and demand characteristics of aquacultural products in the country, and the consumption pattern of fish producers and non-producers. This is followed by an overview of fish marketing, the role of credit, retailing practices, obstacles to access and impact of changes in production centres and methods of production of aquacultural products in the country. The next section discusses the purchasing power of rural and urban consumers, price trends and levels of different species (cultured and captured) in relation to other protein sources, elasticities of fish supply, demand and income. The role of women in fish production and fish trade is also discussed in this section. The final section concludes with recommendations on consumption and access, implications of noted trends, policy measures, evolving consumption, marketing development and measures required to realize the potential of aquaculture. Also discussed are the roles of government and the private sector in improving production and consumption of, and access to aquacultural products.
