The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is focusing its 2011 mariculture agenda on attracting more investments in marine-based culture of fish and other aquatic species.
BFAR planning division officer-in-charge Sam Malvas said the country has already existing mariculture parks (MPs), so the agency’s thrust is to help generate more investments there.
“We want the MPs to flourish,” he said.
MPs are areas covering sea waters designated for culture of aquatic species like fish.
Such parks are divided into plots where the species are raised using approved and environmentally sound culture systems.
Operating a 100-square-meter fish cage there needs about P500,000 average investment regardless of the specie being cultivated, Malvas noted.
Available BFAR data show 55 MPs have been established in the Philippines since 2001.
Five of such MPs need rehabilitating while the rest are operational, BFAR noted.
Earlier, BFAR targeted launching this year seven MPs in Bohol, Negros Occidental, Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Misamis Occidental and Tawi-Tawi provinces.
Data show seaweeds, oysters and milkfish are among mariculture species produced in the country.
BFAR continues promoting production of species other than those, however.
“We encourage investments in high-value species like groupers and seabass,” Malvas said.
In 2009, the Philippines exported some 7,800 metric tons (MTs) of groupers worth US$ 19 million.
Latest available official data show nationwide production from mariculture in 2009 reached 1.78 million MTs.
Such production covered oysters (19,930.59 MTs), mussels (19,936.50 MTs) and seaweeds (1.74 million MTs).
Data also show total 2009 production of milkfish in marine fish cages and pens nationwide reached nearly 79,153 MTs.
For Davao del Norte province’s Panabo Mariculture Park, BFAR reported then potential earnings of up to P180,000 from harvesting, twice a year, milkfish cultured in a 10x10x5-meter cage stocked with 15,000 milkfish fingerlings.
BFAR noted fish farmers can grow samaral in tandem with milkfish to help increase their earnings. [PNA]
