(Photo courtesy of DA Comms Group)
MANILA – The Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) commits to complete 32 more multi-species hatcheries next year.
This, as DA-BFAR aims to boost aquaculture production by providing local sources of fry.
“Our goal is to build end-to-end support system for aquaculture and promote commercial fish farming to provide diversified sources of food fish and income,” DA Undersecretary for Fisheries Cheryl Marie Caballero told the Philippine News Agency.
Before 2021 ends, DA-BFAR will complete one multi-species hatchery and three mangrove crab nurseries in the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Catanduanes.
Under the Legislated Hatcheries Program, 37 hatcheries and aquaculture facilities under 27 Republic Acts are set to be established nationwide.
The program is in parallel with one of the key strategies of Secretary William Dar’s “OneDA Reform Agenda” which seeks to modernize the agri-fisheries sector through infrastructure investments.
On Monday, DA-BFAR unveiled a new legislated hatchery in compliance with Republic Act 10945, or the Act Establishing a Multi-Species Marine Hatchery in the Municipality of Perez, Province of Quezon.
The completion of the Phase 1 construction of the hatchery amounted to PHP20 million while an additional PHP15 million will be spent for initial operation and maintenance of the current facility towards the Phase 2 construction.
Located in Barangay Villamanzano Sur, the aquaculture facility is the first legislated hatchery projected to produce 25 million bangus (milkfish) fry annually.
Designed in collaboration with the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center – Aquaculture Department, the infrastructure currently covers 1,500 square meters of the total 4,800 square meters of land allocated for the project, setting aside areas for future expansion for the culture of other alternate species such as crabs and shrimps.
DA-BFAR also shared in a statement that the project provides a training facility for students, individuals, or groups interested in putting up bangus hatcheries for their livelihood.
“Having a new source of fry within the province offers a number of benefits for the local aquaculture community such as lower cost of fry, which also means lower operating capital for the fish farmers, the emergence of more nurseries and grow-out areas in the province, more revenue to the local government unit, and more opportunities for employment in the community,” the agency said.
The hatchery in Perez is one of the 10 targeted legislated hatcheries in the Fourth District of Quezon. (PNA)
