Specials NEWS

Is the Philippines capable of meeting its own need for fish and seafood? Atty. Asis Perez, former Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Director, said yes.

The world’s first mobile fish farm is now operational. The vessel, named Guoxin 1, looks more like a tanker due to its enormity. It is a 250 meters long and 45 meters wide smart fishing vessel that could cultivate up to 3,700 tons of fish annually.

The Asian green mussels (Perna viridis), locally known as tahong, are bivalve mollusks characterized by their green coloration. Younger green mussel shells have hints of blue while adult mussel shells are more brownish. They can grow up to 80-100 millimeters in length at a rate of six to ten millimeters per month.

Milkfish (Chanos chanos), locally known as bangus, is the most valuable farmed fish in the Philippines in terms of production volume, use, and geographic distribution.

An aquaculture experiment by an intergovernmental body based in southern Iloilo province was able to successfully breed in captivity the galunggong (round scad).

Jean Gonzales, a 49 year-old retired Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) has spent almost half 

Pineapple peels no longer need to go to waste as researchers from the RUDN University in Russia discovered that using pineapple peel powder augments the growth of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). 

As the demand for seafood grows, aquaculture in Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, causes negative impacts on the environment, the communities that benefit from it, and the farmed aquatic animals themselves. 

The country’s shrimp production will remain stagnant for the rest of the year amid lower demand, one of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic to the local aquaculture sector.

The Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has announced the start of the closed fishing season in Northern Palawan on November 1, 2021. This is to further boost the growing abundance of galunggong in the province.

The Philippines is known for its diverse marine ecosystem. Many fisherfolks have tapped into this rich resource to provide food for their fellow countrymen and earn an honest living. But despite the rich marine life, municipal fishermen are among the most under-recognized groups in the country. 

For Adolf James A. Gamilla, his journey in the aquaculture industry started with the family business. 

Humans can metabolize a good portion of the drugs they’ve consumed. But the drugs that aren’t metabolized can come out of people’s urine and end up in our waterways because sewage treatment plants aren’t designed to filter drugs out. 

Food security advocacy group Tugon Kabuhayan is pushing for the establishment of more export economic zones dedicated to fisheries and aquaculture, a move that will help boost the country’s production of processed and value-added aquaculture products for both domestic and export market.

As an archipelago with 7,641 islands, the Philippines is mostly surrounded by water. Those residing in coastal areas make a livelihood from marine fishing. But over the years, there have been concerning issues such as the degradation of marine resources and the need for fisherfolk to be better represented. 

There’s more to the sea than just fish, shellfish, and seaweed. It also has a wide range of sea vegetables or sea greens that are making their way to consumers’ plates because of their natural flavor and health benefits. 

Bernadette ‘Edith’ G. Capule, 63, is a retired businesswoman whose ambition is to provide safe, nutritious, and chemical-free food for her family. In 2014, she used the family’s agricultural land to make this possible.

The Philippines is ranked as one of the major fish producers in the world. Based on the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), over a million Filipinos rely on the fishing industry as their livelihood. Knowing that fish is one of the biggest protein and income providers for many Filipino households, sustaining the industry is vital.