SUAL—This town maintains its position as the top producer of bangus (milkfish) in Pangasinan by following best practices in managing the fish cages.

According to Mayor Roberto Arcinue, this development effectively debunked claims of detractors that the operation of the 1,218 megawatts power plant pollutes the water in the Sual cove.

“If what they claim is true, that the power plant here causes pollution, bangus raised here would have already died,” Arcinue said.

There are 750 fish cages where bangus are grown along the Cabalitian Bay in the town and the mayor said Sual has not experienced fish kill.

Arcinue pointed out that the fish cages are positioned about six meters below the sea only, a far distant from the bottom which is about 30 to 45 meters deep.

Because of this, Arcinue said the wastes from bangus growing including the unconsumed feeds are easily flushed out by the waves out to the sea.

“I just received a report from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) that the result of their water sampling analysis which they do in our coastal water twice a month is very good,” the mayor said.

Quoting BFAR Director Nestor Domenden, he said Sual provides 42 percent of the fish requirement in Metro Manila because bangus operators sell their bangus in Malabon and Navotas fish markets.

He said 90 to 95 percent of the harvested bangus in Sual are brought to Metro Manila for trading. He said smaller-sized bangus are left for sale in Pangasinan markets.

Each fish cage grows 45,000 to 60,000 bangus and bangus can be harvested, depending on its size, from six to seven months. Daily bangus harvest here averages 60 tons.

Bangus operators here have asked to expand their operations owing to their profitable operations but Arcinue said he did not approve their requests.

He attributed the success of the fish cages operations to the strict compliance with BFAR rules that prescribing minimum distances between the maximum 750 fish cages.

“If you add more, it already causes congestion which is harmful to the bangus for lack of oxygen and cause them to die,” he said.

He added that he recently ordered the dismantling of 11 fish cages here that are illegally operating.

The fish cages here contribute about P15-million annual income to the municipal coffers for the permits and use of municipal water, Arcinue said. (TIta Roces)

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