BFAR gets ADB technical assistance grant for development of aquaculture sector

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $600,000 technical assistance grant to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resour-ces (BFAR) which is crafting a medium-term plan to further boost the rapidly-growing aquaculture sector.

The ADB said it is now assisting the BFAR in tapping local and international fishery experts that would help the agency come up with a comprehensive medium-term aquaculture fisheries production strategy.

The aquaculture sector which includes the cultivation of ornamental freshwater fishes and fish for consumption such as bangus, tilapia, pampano, shrimps and seaweeds among others, pulled the fisheries sector to a hefty growth of 6.47 percent in 2005, bringing the total production to 4.16 million metric tons of fish and other aquatic products with a gross value of P146.8 billion.

BFAR director Malcolm I. Sarmiento Jr. said the aquaculture sub sector posted the highest growth at 10.41 percent. The municipal and commercial fisheries sector had also posted growths of 4.75 and 0.61 percent, respectively.

Last year, BFAR encouraged the establishment of more mariculture parks and seaweed farms to augment the catch from municipal and commercial fishing.

In 2005, BFAR established 12 new mariculture parks in Region 8 and two in Region 4A putting the total number of mariculture parks or zones to 21 nationwide.

In these areas, bangus and other high value aquatic products such as lapu-lapu, sea bass, siganids, abalone, sea cucumber are grown in marine fish cages put up by various public and private investors including small fisherfolk cooperatives, associations and big corporations.

BFAR also pushed for the expansion of seaweed farming areas in non-traditional areas with the introduction of "lantay method" for seaweed nurseries and grow-out farms.

Seaweeds are now farmed in the coastal areas of Luzon, specifically in Ilocos, Cagayan, Zambales, Mindoro, Quezon, Palawan and Camarines; Iloilo and Negros in the Visayas; and Surigao and Davao del Norte in Mindanao. Traditionally, seaweeds is grown mostly in Zamboanga and ARMM areas.

Sarmiento said the demand for bangus and tilapia fry and fingerlings had been sufficiently addressed with the continuous operation of BFAR’s central and satellite hatcheries in strategic areas all over the country. There are now 16 central GET-EXCEL tilapia hatcheries nationwide that supply the broodstock requirements of additional 250 satellite hatcheries being established all over the land.

To further boost the aquaculture subsector, BFAR is currently undertaking various researches that include the use of seacages for bangus hatchery; culture of abalone, sea cucumbers and sea urchins; culture of prawns in marine fishpens; genetic improvement of existing strains; culture of endemic species such as ludong, seabass and angelfish; health management; potential of bluefin tuna for sea ranching; assessment of new fishing grounds, polyculture of fish with crustaceans and value-adding of fish and other aquatic products, among others.

BFAR is also set to increase aquaculture and mariculture areas to 17,000 hectares for aqua-business development that would generate some 740,000 jobs by the end of 2010.

The priority aquaculture areas would include underutilized, idle and marginal lands and idle off-shore and inland bodies of water for aquaculture.