Balikbayan impressed by transformation
FROM FISH PENS TO CAGES
A DAGUPENO balikbayan from Anaheim, California, USA unabashedly expressed his admiration for the transformation of the city’s river system.
“The river has changed a lot because it is now very clean and I haven’t seen any illegal fish pen, only small structures like fish cages which are legal and licensed by the city government to operate,” Bernardo Aquino, also a US Navy retiree and airline manager, said. Aquino, himself a former fisherman before he migrated to the US, and now a fish pond owner, narrated his difficulty then in navigating through the river because it was filled with big fish pens.
“It was difficult for our boat to get way to the Magsaysay Fish market because there was no clear navigational lane during that time,” said Aquino.
Aquino said he will invite fellow Dagupeños in the United States to try the Island Tours and enjoy cruising the river while feasting on fish caught in the river.
During the river tour, a group of small fishermen approached the Island Tour boat to show the visitors their bountiful catch of ‘malaga’, ‘batuan, ‘bonor’ and oyster.
“Since there are no more fish pens, we now have a bountiful catch and the water is also clear,” said Alberto Ragasa of Barangay Calmay, one of the fishermen, said.
“Oysters now are bigger in size than before,” said Onyok Balen of Barangay Pugaro.
Mayor Belen T. Fernandez, who accompanied the visitors, said she was confident leading the tour because she knew there were no more illegal fish pens.
The city already purchased two speedboats to conduct daily monitoring of the city’s rivers.
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