Sual innovates bangus raising
SUBDIVISION STYLE HOUSING
SUAL—Bangus (milkfish) raised in fish cages here are happy and they have reasons to be. The municipal government is housing them ala “subdivision.”
Municipal Agriculturist Florencia Guanzon said the 750 fish cages that produce about 33,750,000 kilos a year of bangus are being re-arranged systematically the way residential subdivisions planned and constructed, where there are sites and blocks.
“These are called bangus subdivisions,” she said. “Similar to housing in subdivisions, there is a set navigational lane and proper distances between one unit to another are observed,” she pointed out.
The cages, like in houses, also have corresponding “residential” numbers made of fiberglass plates bearing signatures of Mayor Roberto Arcinue and Guanzon, based on their Environmental Compliance Certificate from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
“If the bangus housing in subdivision has no plate , it means it is colorum, “Mr. Arcinue said.
The implementation of the subdivision housing for bangus started last year but could not be completed right away because it takes about six months for the fish culture, therefore, these could not be easily moved, the mayor said.
Arcinue takes pride in the town’s systematic raising of bangus and strictly enforces “No fish pen policy”. Fish pens, he said, are detrimental to the bangus industry.
The fish cages are located in the coastal areas in Bacquioen, Cabalitian and Pangascasan that occupy about 150 hectares.
“We see to it that the operators pay correct taxes and in return, we provide assistance through technology and supervision,” Guanzon said.
The bangus are fed with floater feeds to minimize pollution and wastage and maintain water quality checked every two weeks.
At the bottom of the cages are sea cucumbers and mussels that serve as biofilter.
Meanwhile, the fish kill that hit Bolinao and Anda towns last month became a boon to bangus raisers here enabling the latter to fetch higher prices from P100 per kilo, the price is now as high as P120. (Tita Roces)
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