1,500 red tilapia released at Burnham Lake in Baguio

BAGUIO CITY -- A total of 1,500 red tilapia fingerlings sizes 12 and 14 were released at Burnham Park lake here as part of the 59th Fish Conservation Week observed from Sept. 12 to Sept. 16, 2022.

City Environment and Parks Management Officer Rhenan Diwas said the result of water tests done at Burnham Park Lake showed that the lake is safe for rearing fish.

Diwas said a water sampling was done at the lake before the dispersal of a fresh batch of fingerlings on Sept. 14 in line with the Department of Agriculture’s celebration of the conservation week.

The test was conducted by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Cordillera (BFAR-CAR) to determine if the water is safe for fish breeding and if the fish from the lake is safe for consumption even if the city’s fishing activity at the lake is generally used for recreation.

“The result turned out to be good despite impressions that the lake is dirty and unsafe for hatching fish. It is just muddy because its bed is not cemented,” Diwas said.

The city government through the CEPMO opened Burnham Lake to recreational fishing under a catch-and-release policy starting on June 13.

A hobbyist or applicant must first obtain a permit from the CEPMO before undertaking any fishing activity in Burnham Lake.

The office has processed a total of nine fishing permits on a yearly basis and at least 15 permits for single sessions.