MANILA (UPDATED)— The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Saturday said Filipino fishermen could have caught more fish in the West Philippine Sea if no Chinese incursions occurred.

BFAR spokesperson Naz Briguera said the West Philippine Sea contributes 6 percent to the country's total fisheries production as of 2022. This is equivalent to 275,872 metric tons with commercial and local fishing production combined.

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This came from the regions facing the disputed waters or the Ilocos Region, Mimaropa, and Central Luzon, said the official.

"Posible ba na tumaas ang production ng [West Philippine Sea] kung wala ang mga isyung ito na nangyayari doon? I would say 'yes', kung ano man iyong mga hindering factors na nangyayari ngayon at kapag nawala ito ay mangangahulugan ito na mas malilinang natin ang yaman ng West Philippine Sea," Briguera said in a media forum in Quezon City.

The official also noted that the single-digit figure could be attributed to the impact of typhoons in recent months, adding that the country has yet to maximize the resources "in a sustainable manner."

"We are not downplaying na hindi malaki ang significance ng West Philippine Sea sa ating overall fisheries production and in terms of food security," he said.

"That’s why ang BFAR po ay nandoon sa interes na kailangang likas-kaya nating pakinabangan ang ating kayamanan sa West Philippine Sea."

As of January this year, the agency said there were 376,733 fishermen in the West Philippine Sea.

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China and the Philippines are at odds over the South China Sea, with Beijing claiming sovereignty over almost the entire area despite an international court ruling that its claims have no legal basis.

The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei have overlapping claims to parts of the sea, and Manila ordered its military last month to boost its presence in the contested waters after a report that China had started reclaiming several unoccupied land features around the Spratly Islands.

In 2021, under the Duterte administration, Filipino fishermen were blocked by the Chinese Coast Guard near Pag-asa Island. Pag-asa Island is the largest island in the Kalayaan Island Group, serving as the seat of the local government of the Municipality of Kalayaan, Province of Palawan.

Local officials told the fisherfolk to avoid their sandbar fishing areas temporarily, as much as they wanted to assert their rights there.

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