THE Provincial Government of Negros Occidental is pushing for an aggressive priority-focus for the development of the province’s fishery sector, including the sustainable management of resources.
Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said that as the province’s promotion of its potentials in organic agriculture and culinary destinations continues, it also needs to work on being able to serve food that are safe, healthy and produced from good practices.
“We also need to tap the right market for our products,” Marañon added.
One of the province’s fishery products potential for promotion in the international market is the abalone, a kind of sea snails abundant in the sea waters of Sagay City.
The Provincial Enterprise Development and Investment Center (Pedic), in a press release on Tuesday, said the abalone production being studied in Sagay Marine Reserve by the Aquaculture Department of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (Seafdec) has caught the attention of Greenpeace International as one of the sustainable seafood products that can be promoted by the province.
Pedic said that with its potential for seafood products, Negros Occidental has been invited to participate in the Sustainable Seafood Week 2017 Philippines from February 20-26 in Manila.
Chefs of international and local hotel and restaurant chains have signed the commitment to protect the ocean and livelihoods of marginal fisherfolk through one, buying only certified seafood products.
These products should be harvested from production areas with environment-friendly aquaculture practices, it added. (EPN)