Int’l fisheries training center to rise in Dagupan

DAGUPAN CITY — House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. announced the construction of a P20-million international fisheries training center at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Bonuan Binloc here to complement other existing facilities for the advancement of aquaculture expertise.

De Venecia told local newsmen during his latest visit to Pangasinan last week that fish farmers and other aquaculturists from foreign countries can come to train here.

Several interested parties from various nations have expressed willingness to train here to keep themselves abreast of the latest aquaculture know-how.

The Speaker had funded several big projects here like the Bangus Hatchery, live fish market (Buhay Isdaan) and a multi-purpose two-story building with a restaurant.

Reacting to criticisms that the restaurant is a "white elephant," De Venecia said that the restaurant is a tourism restaurant. It is owned by the government and its bidding should be made public.

"You should be like an internationalist. You should open your eyes to the possibilities of globalism," De Venecia told a reporter who commented about the project being idle.

The country’s first-ever live fish market (Buhay-Isdaan) was funded from De Venecia’s Countrywide Development Fund. He added that the fisheries market in Bonuan is one of the most advanced in Southeast Asia.

"Instead of perennial construction of roads, we should also concentrate on the development of the fisheries industry because Pangasinan is dependent on the fishing industry for distribution to the entire Philippines," De Venecia said.

He noted that the bangus hatchery in Bonuan benefits other bangus hatcheries in other parts of the country because they get their bangus fry there.

The live fish market project was established to boost the production and trade of ornamental fishes and other high value commercial species through the provision of a common market place.

The center has fish trading facilities, a two-story multi-purpose building with a restaurant that can accommodate about 100 diners, entrance and exit gates, pathways and parking space. A display and information area is provided in the building with nine large aquariums. An area where farmers can buy oxygen and plastic bags is also provided.

"One noble purpose of this project is to change the Filipino’s habit of eating dead or preserved fishes," De Venecia said.

"Buyers and growers of fish will now have a meeting place where they will be provided with many choices, will have exchange of information, a training area on the latest technology of fish farming, among others, to help them produce quality fish seeds for local and international markets," he added.