July 19, 2010

Philippine fisheries industry to uphold fish cage farming

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) will once again be promoting fish cage farming for fishermen to avail of a financing scheme that will allow them to operate the fish cages and eventually own them.

BFAR director Malcolm I. Sarmiento, Jr. said yesterday that the bureau will be launching techno-demo cages in existing mariculture parks in Panabo and Balingasag, both in Mindanao, or in Samar and Leyte, Visayas later this month.

"We just finished the guidelines for the next techno-demo to show fisherfolk that fish cage farming works," Mr Sarmiento said.

The Mariculture Park project was first launched by BFAR in July 2001 to promote fish farming as an alternative source of livelihood to fish hunting or fishing. At present, Mr. Sarmiento said that there are 54 mariculture parks in the country. He added that fisherfolk can avail of a loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) to start fish cage farming.

Fisherfolk who are interested in fish cage farming can purchase fish cages through a loan from Landbank and BFAR will be the one to assist them in operating the fish cages. Once the loan is fully paid, the fisherfolk will be entitled to own the cages, Mr Sarmiento said.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said that he supports the lease-purchase program of fish cages to help small fisherfolk own the cages and profit more.

"This will solve the problems of our small fisherfolk because they cannot buy fish cages on their own," Mr Alcala said. He added that the department will support this programme to help small fisherfolk.