THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), through the Community Environment and Natural Resources (Cenro) of Imelda, Zamboanga Sibugay, has facilitated a two-day capability-building seminar on aquasilviculture with emphasis on mangrove crab grow-out culture technology.

A technical team from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) headed by BFAR Assistant Regional Director Al-Zath Kunting imparted expert know-how during the two-day seminar held last week in Concepcion village, Alicia, Zamboanga Sibugay.

The two-day activity was attended by the members of the Concepcion Fisherfolk Association headed by Cenon Balawag Jr., grantees of the Community Base Forest Management—Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CBFM-CARP).

Kunting said this program includes the establishment of an aquasilviculture project that would provide sustainable livelihood to marginalized fisherfolk while at the same time strengthen mangrove forest rehabilitation efforts in the area.

Kunting said that topics on environmental laws, rules, and regulations on the cutting of mangroves were briefly discussed during the lecture proper. It was emphasized, that the aquasilviculture project will strictly comply with the “No cutting of mangroves” policy.

Aquasilviculture is a mangrove-friendly aquaculture technique that allows the production of high-value fishery species in a mangrove reforestation project.

Although the project was focused on the grow-out culture of mangrove crab, the team highlighted the potential of the polyculture method to maximized production, according to Kunting.

He said that polyculture is the practice of culturing more than one aquaculture commodity.

He said that instead of culturing mangrove crab alone, it can be combined with either grouper or “lapu-lapu”, red snapper or “pulahan,” siganids or “samaral” and other high-value fish species.

He said that the BFAR technical team together with CENRO-Imelda personnel conducted field inspection and validation of suitable sites for the aquasilviculture project.

Geraldine Sadusta, CBFM coordinator, extended her sincere gratitude to BFAR Regional Director Isidro Velayo, Jr., for providing the needed technical support to the two-day activity which assuredly results in a positive impact both in aquaculture production and environmental conservation. (SunStar Zamboanga)