Sunday, September 21, 2008 Tuna stakeholders urged to diversify into aquaculture
TUNA industry experts said concerned stakeholders in General Santos City should take advantage of opportunities in aquaculture production in the face of dwindling tuna stocks across the world's primary fishing grounds.
The experts encouraged more tuna industry stakeholders to diversify into aquaculture as a way of adapting to the decline in global tuna catches amid high fuel costs and increasing international competition.
Ramon Macaraig, president of the Chamber of Aquaculture and Ancillary Industries in Sarangani (Chains), noted that aquaculture production in the country has significantly expanded over the years with the industry now valued at $750 million.
Macaraig was one of the resource speakers in the recently held two-day 10th National Tuna Congress in General Santos City, attended by the industry stakeholders.
Macaraig said with the stricter enforcement of tuna management conservation measures resulting in lower catch levels worldwide, increasing domestic aquaculture production can fill in the current supply gap in local and foreign markets and ensure the country's food security.
Aquaculture production in Mindanao offers opportunities for growth with a variety of species available. Diversification into aquaculture can supplement the incomes of those who at present depend exclusively on the tuna catch, said Macaraig.
He said there are high-value marine species with good potential in both domestic and Asia-Pacific markets, including grouper, pompano, mangrove snapper and Asian sea bass while it is not yet economically feasible to farm yellow-fin tuna and other commercial tuna species.
He noted that China is still the main export market for high-value seafood such as live grouper, snapper, abalone and sea cucumber.
Frozen tilapia, catfish and pompano are selling well in the United States of America, while Japan is a major market for shrimps and crustaceans.
Macaraig said the sustainability of aquaculture operations depends on the feeding systems used, the acceptability of products in local and foreign markets, and choice of location for operations.
Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) assistant director Gil Adora said the investment potential of aquaculture has led to the development of mariculture parks' in the Philippines.
Adora said mariculture parks promote the expansion of fish production and help provide a livelihood for fishermen and can accelerate socio-economic growth in underdeveloped areas.
He said a typical mariculture park covers a sea area of 500 hectares or more and is equipped with a communal storm-resistant mooring system and boundary markers.
It includes individual "farm plots" for fish cage operations, seaweed farming and other aquaculture activities.
Adora said Mindanao is an ideal location for mariculture activities due to its large production areas, year-round fish production, water quality and skilled manpower.
Both Adora and Macaraig noted the efforts of United States Assistance for International Development's-Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program (USAid-Gem) to ensure the sustainability of Mindanao's small-scale aquaculture producers by providing them with aquaculture training and linking them with potential buyers and new markets. (Bong Garcia)
