Mariculture parks soon to be fixtures in RP’s coastal areas

TIGBUAN, Iloilo- it’s but a matter of time before mariculture parks become fixtures in some selected coastal areas in the country.

A program to set up such facilities has been set in motion by government instrumentalities to help boost aquaculture and fisheries development in the country.

The first mariculture park in the country–and said to be the first in Asia–was established last year off Samal Island in Mindanao.

Covering 200 hectares, a park is a venture initiated by the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and the local government units, and supported by the government-hosted, Tigbauan-based Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC AQD).

All is also set for the setting up of the second mariculture park in the Zambales town of Masinloc and Palauig with the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) by DA Secretary Leonardo R. Montemayor, Zambales Rep. Ruben Torres, SEAFDEC AQD chief Dr. Rolando R. Platon, BFAR Director Malcolm Sarmiento Jr., Masinloc Mayor Jess Edora, and Palauig Mayor Milagros Guatlo.

The mayors of nine other Zambales towns witnessed the signing ceremony.

The MOA was a result of a planning workshop on mariculture held last October in Iba town, organized by Torres, a former executive secretary.

The park was envisioned to be included in the project to be covered by the BFAR-SEAFDEC AQD memorandum of understanding of June 25, 2000 or the Joint Mission for Accelerated Nationwide Technology Transfer.

Before the first mariculture park was set up in Samal, SEAFDEC AQD, BFAR, and Guimaras provincial government had put up a model mariculture park at the SEAFDEC AQD marine station in Igang Bay, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras, to showcase the technology.

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

Its operates very much like a marina where private yachts can dock and avail themselves of service utilities for a fee. Like a marina, the mariculture park will be provided with soaring facilities and perhaps even a floating breakwater.

On land, docking facilities to make it easy to land and market the fish harvest is also provided. The difference is that while a marina caters to the rich and is intended for pleasure craft, the mariculture park is intended as a livelihood center primarily for fisherfolk.

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

Again, one major difference is that while an industrial park is intended for rich investors, the mariculture park is primarily for the municipal fisherfolk.