Bountiful harvests reported anew in 2 barangays

By August 3, 2014Business, News

POST-ILLEGAL FISH PENS

THE demolition of illegal fish pens in Dagupan City is beginning to pay off.

Fisherfolks in Salapingao and Pugaro experienced bountiful harvests of high-value fish cultured in fish cages distributed under the ‘One Barangay, One Fish’ livelihood program of the city government.

The first harvests in the two barangays were witnessed by Mayor Belen Fernandez and officials of the City Agriculture Office (CAO).

Salapingao and Pugaro were two of the five barangays chosen for the program that aims to help marginalized fisherfolk sustain their livelihood and become self sufficient.

BOUNTIFUL HARVEST

The high-value fish currently being cultured in the five villages are ‘ alangat’ in Calmay, ‘talakitok’ in Pantal, ‘malaga’ (siganid) in Salapingao, sea bass in Lomboy, and ‘lapu-lapu’ (grouper) in Pugaro.

In Salapingao, the more than 400 pieces of malaga that were harvested comprised 98 % of the stocks that were seeded by the CAO. The lapu-lapu raised in Pugaro were fully developed and of good quality.

Similar positive results were also observed during the harvesting of high-value fish in Pantal and Calmay last month.

Loreta Velasquez, wife of a fisherman of Pugaro, was able to earn more than P11,000 from the sale of her ‘lapu-lapu’.

Natutuwa po ako dahil marami po kaming na-harvest. Pinangalagaan namin talaga yan para lumaki at dumami. Malaking tulong ito para sa aming mga sumisigay.” she said.

She added: “Nagpapasalamat po ako kay Mayor Belen Fernandez dahil nagkaroon kami ng sariling hanapbuhay.”

Velasquez said she will reinvest her earnings in additional fingerlings for the second stocking season.

Due to the encouraging results of the program, City Agriculturist Emma Molina said the city plans to increase the stocking density of the fish cages in the next phase since the volume and weight of the recent harvest were good.

“The program will see more and better results once the dredging operations of the rivers are completed”, said Fernandez. (with report from CIO/Patrick Cendreda)

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