Itogon fisherfolks get boats, fingerlings

Thursday, July 14, 2011

TOGON, Benguet -- The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, through the municipal agricultural office, recently handed a total of 130,000 fingerlings, two units of non-motorized boats and 25 pieces sigay fishing nets to the Dalupirip Fisher Folks Association and Tinongdan Fisher Folks Livelihood Association.

Agricultural Technologist Paz Chalipo said the donations aims to sustain availability of fish supply within the community; augment family income and hopefully uplift living status and generate employment through fishpond production; solve malnutrition in the family or in the community as a whole; and strengthen existing fisher folks association.

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The fishers associations were recently organized after the municipality identified them as the pilot project beneficiaries for aqua fish production.

The associations entered into a memorandum of agreement with the local government to actively participate in the promotion a development of animal, dairy and fishery industries to enable them to attain self-sufficiency in food stuffs and by-products of animals and fish origin helping alleviate the problems and improve living conditions of the farmers, livestock raisers and fisher folks.

As a response to the new administration challenge of improving with proper technologies the fish production, the group attended a seminar on aqua culture and review of fishery laws.

This was sponsored by the agriculture office in cooperation with BFAR-Benguet. This is to prepare and learn the needed skills and knowledge in tilapia production. The members have existing ponds which were validated and measured by the agriculture office staff.