RP’s first mariculture park to rise in Guimaras

The country’s first mariculture park has been established in Igang Bay, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras.

The park was jointly set up by the government-hosted Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC AQD), Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) and the provincial government of Guimaras.

The facility will be launched on July 5 as one of the main activities during the celebration of SEAFDEC AQD’s 28th anniversary.

SEAFDEC AQD is based in the seaside Iloilo town of Tigbauan, 24 kilometers west of Iloilo City. It is one of the four technical departments of SEAFDEC, a regional treaty organization established in December 1967 to promote fisheries development in Southeast Asia. SEAFDEC members are Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Union of Myanmar and Indonesia.

SEAFDEC AQD was established in 1973 to promote and undertake aquaculture research relevant and appropriate for the region; develop human resources for the region; and disseminate and exchange information on aquaculture.

Agriculture Secretary Leonardo Montemayor has been invited as main guest at the mariculture park’s launching ceremonies. Also expected to grace the affair are Guimaras Governor Rahman Nava, SEAFDEC AQD chief Dr. Rolando R. Platon and BFAR director Malcolm Sarmiento.

A mariculture park, as described by SEAFDEC AQD consultant Fred Yap, is an area in marine waters designated for mariculture (growing of marine species) and provided with the appropriate infrastructure to make it convenient to install and operate.

It operates very much like a marina where private yachts can dock and avail themselves of service utilities for a fee. Like a marina, a mariculture park is provided with mooring facilities and perhaps even a floating backwater.

It may also be considered as the marine equivalent of industrial parks which have been set up by the government to encourage investors to put up manufacturing facilities by providing the pre-developed area with road network, power, water and communication lines.

One major difference is that while an industrial park is intended for rich investors, a mariculture park gives priority to municipal fishers.

"The basic component of a mariculture park is a mooring system where prospective cage operators could fasten their cages," wrote Eva Aldon of SEAFDEC AQD.

Service facilities such as nursery, working platform for harvesting, feed warehouse and technicians’ quarters are also provided. A resident technical expert is a necessary component to ensure the proper implementation of production protocols and preventive laboratory diagnosis.

Igang Bay in Guimaras is one of the most ideal sites for a mariculture park because it is protected from strong winds during typhoon occurences. It has also been the site of SEAFDEC AQD’s research and technology verification cage farming facilities for years.

The first of its kind in the country and perhaps in Southeast Asia, the mariculture park in Guimaras has been provided with cages for demonstration purposes. It is adjacent to SEAFDEC AQD’s Igang marine substation.

The area is 14 meters deep at low tide with appropriate infrastructure facilities. Concrete blocks were used as sinkers placed at the four corners of a net cage.

Catwalks made of lumber attached to GI pipes were also installed for easy mooring and harvesting. Plastic drums used as floats are placed on each side of the cage between the two pipes.

A pontoon bridge which secures the cage setup allows regulation and expansion of the operations.

The target beneficiaries are the local fishers who will have to attend development session on cage farming as a requirement. Milkfish will be the first species to be cultured.

Baseline environmental assessment has been conducted in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

As required, environmental stresses such as dissolved oxygen (DO) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) will be monitored to safeguard the area from pollution.