THE only way to augment the decreased catch of fishermen is to engage in aquaculture, said newly elected national fisherfolk director Ronaldo Paglicawan.
Fisherfolk representatives have seen that the entry of commercial fishing in their territories has made their catch in municipal waters dwindle.
Paglicawan said that despite their intensified efforts to increase their daily fish catch, their nets are small as compared to big fishing vessels that have radars for catching the biggest schools of fishes at sea, leaving them with only a few kilos to bring ashore.
“Despite contributing only two percent of the national catch, the Cordillera region is ideal for creation of aquaculture industries particularly in Kalinga, Apayao, Abra and Ifugao,” Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources- Cordillera Administrative Region (BFAR-CAR) Regional Director Rebecca Dang-awan said.
Dang-awan said that for the year 2009 the total fish catch of the region is only two metric tons as compared to the 42.58 metric tons of fish caught nationwide.
Despite the existence of El Niño phenomenon, Dang-awan said that the creation of an artificial environment for fishes to grow is important in augmenting the low fish supply in the region.