A MARICULTURE Park is set to be established in Balatanay and Lampinigan, both coastal villages in Isabela City, the capital of Basilan province, to boost seafood production.
The Isabela City Information Office said results of the technical and environmental survey showed that both Balatanay and Lampinigan villages meet the national standard requirements for mariculture development.
The technical survey included bathymetric profiling, underwater documentation, and water quality monitoring.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources–National Mariculture Center (BFAR-NMC), in partnership with BFAR-Zamboanga Peninsula, the City Government of Isabela, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), and local fisherfolk, officially presented the survey results on Thursday, June 27.
“With water depths ranging from 18 to 35 meters and flat to gradually sloping seabeds, the sites are found suitable for installing mooring blocks and floating aquaculture structures, affirming their potential for sustainable mariculture operations,” the study showed.
As part of the development framework, the Isabela City Mariculture Park Development Map and Plan will be formulated in alignment with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ (BFAR) Field Guide for the Establishment, Operation, and Management of Mariculture Parks in the Philippines.
The plan includes designated areas for fingerling holding and conditioning cages to support quality and sustainable fish growth.
A research and development zone will also be established for training, studies, and demonstration activities, to be jointly managed by BFAR and the City Government of Isabela.
Floating houses for feed storage and recreation will be strategically positioned to avoid overlapping with farming zones, with raft sizes adjusted according to cage dimensions.
To ensure comprehensive support, the city government will allocate utility areas for land-based facilities such as harvesting and monitoring stations, ice and cold storage units, feed warehouses, docking areas for loading and unloading farm inputs, anchorage points for rafts and boats, construction areas for cage components, comfort rooms, and waste disposal zones.
A one-stop-shop center will also be established to streamline administrative and logistical processes for stakeholders. (SunStar Zamboanga)