DA to develop acclimatization facility for fishes

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is developing the world’s first acclimatization facility for freshwater ornamental fishes like koi, angelfish and guppies to expand the Philippines’ share in the lucrative $500-million global trade of freshwater ornamental fish species.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said the proposed Acclimatization and Conditioning for Export (ACE) facility, which will be built in Muntinlupa City, is a critical component of the post-harvest technology process for ornamental fish.

Acclimatization and conditioning is critical as sudden changes in water quality and feeding habits often affect the survival of the fish. The ACE facility, Yap said, would enable local growers to better penetrate the $500-million ornamental fish industry.

The Philippines’ current share of the $500-million ornamental fish industry is a measly 3.8 percent, even as Asian countries account for more than 50 percent of the world’s global supply of non-food freshwater fish.

“Our target is to supply 10 percent to 20 percent of the total world demand for ornamental fish and provide livelihood opportunities for about 5,000 to 15,000 lakeshore families within the medium term,” Yap said.

He explained that “establishing an ACE facility for ornamental fish will make the Philippines the first country to have such an infrastructure,” Yap said. The culture of ornamental fish, Yap said, generates a monthly income of P6,000 to P12,000 per grower-family.

The DA, through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), is now implementing a high-impact export-oriented livelihood project to develop the ornamental fish industry in the Laguna Lake and turn this activity into the country’s next top export earner.

According to BFAR director Malcolm Sarmiento, Laguna Lake was chosen as the pilot production area for the project as it is the largest freshwater body in the Philippines and is located close to the airport.

“Initial results of our research and livelihood-based techno projects showed encouraging results in terms of growth and survival rates for ornamental fish like koi, goldfish and angelfish due to the presence of natural food in the lake,” Sarmiento said.