CEBU CITY— The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Central Visayas (BFAR-7) has implemented projects to increase fish production that include training programs and distribution of fishing inputs to fisherfolk associations in Cebu and Bohol, Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) assistant secretary Jonjie Gonzales said during the National Network Briefing News on Wednesday.
Gonzales said the key projects of BFAR-7 in Central Visayas include the distribution of fingerlings of tilapia, bangus, and other marine species; establishment of techno-demo livelihood projects; provision of trainings and technical assistance; operation of community-based satellite hatcheries; and providing fishing gears and other materials to marginalized beneficiaries.
He said that in Bohol province, BFAR-7 trained the Kabangkalan/Santo Rosario Farmers and the Fisherfolk Livelihood Association from Carlos P. Garcia town on how to construct a marine floating fish cage for milkfish or "bangus" culture.
The project is funded by BFAR through its Targeted Actions to Reduce Poverty and Generate Economic Transformation (TARGET) program that aims to provide targeted interventions to help improve the livelihood of the marginalized fishermen and reduce poverty incidence, he added.
The Bohol Fish Producers Cooperative, a group composed of fishpond owners, also received assistance from BFAR-7. Gonzales said the group will soon own their milkfish fish cages to be established in Barangay San Francisco, Talibon town.
He added that BFAR-7 also turned over a fishery livelihood project to the Eskaya Tribe in Duero town, Bohol. It turned over to the indigenous tribe three units of tilapia pond culture technology, 4,500 pieces of tilapia fingerlings, and 57 bags of feeds.
OPAV Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino lauded BFAR-7 for its efforts to increase the earnings of those in the marginalized sector.
“These projects are necessary to be implemented as our government is continuously working to reduce the poverty incidence in the country. Our fishing and farm sectors need these interventions to improve their livelihood,” Dino said.
At least 12 members of the Hingotanan East Women Association (HEWA) from Bohol province underwent livelihood skills training on seaweed processing conducted at the Community Development Resource Center (CDRC) in Tagbilaran City. The training taught the women’s group how to make value-added seaweed products such as jam, noodles, crackers, salvaro, pickles, and strips, Gonzales added.
In Cebu, BFAR-7 will soon establish another "lambaklad" in Asturias town, northwest of the province. Lambaklad, coined from the Filipino words “lambat” (net) and “baklad” (corral), uses a stationary huge fish trap laid down about 35 meters under the sea.
BFAR-7’s Fisheries Production and Support Services Division (FPSSD) conducted an orientation for the 25 members of the Sta. Lucia Fishermen Association (SALUFA) in Asturias to teach them how to construct, operate, and manage the project. Their training will be completed on Dec. 11 this year.