FOURTH District Rep. Christopher de Venecia has filed a bill in the House of Representatives seeking to strengthen the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-National Integrated Fisheries Technology and Development Center (BFAR-NIFTDC) in Barangay Bonuan Binloc, Dagupan City and renaming it as Philippine Center for Aquaculture and Fisheries and Development.

De Venecia recently, had a meeting with Dr. Westly Rosario, retired center chief of BFAR-NIFTDC, to discuss with him the provisions of House Bill No. 07792 or the proposed Philippine Center for Aquaculture and Fisheries Development Act of 2020.

De Venecia’s bill proposes law aims to provide enough funding for NIFTDC so that it can effectively do its function to conduct meaningful researches meant to further boost aquaculture and fisheries in the country consistent with the urgent need to provide food security to all Filipinos.

He expressed confidence that BFAR-NIFTDC Dagupan Center already succeeded this long in providing different services to the fishery sector to ensure more protein food in the dining table of the Filipinos.

He noted that the technologies transferred to fish farmers by NFTDC are  now being practiced by many players of the fishery industry in partnership with local and international institutions.

BFAR-NIFTDC is situated on a 35-hectare prime area in Bonuan Binloc and for the past 25 years is engaged in the research on developed and matured aquaculture and post-harvest fisheries technologies of vital importance to Pangasinan and the whole nation.

It has advanced laboratory, production and training facilities as the forerunner of aquaculture and fisheries researches in this part of the country. Showcasing its various researches, it has pioneered what is now called aquaculture tourism.

Meanwhile, Rosario hailed former Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. for his great contribution to the BFAR, especially to NIFTDC, as a tribute to the former five-time Speaker of the House of Representatives who celebrated his 86th birthday last December 27.

Calling the elder De Venecia as the father of modern aquaculture in Pangasinan, Rosario said the father of Congressman Christopher de Venecia was instrumental in building BFAR-NIFTDC’s bangus fisheries hatchery, the aquarium building showcasing different species of salt water fish, the first of its kind Live Fish Market, the Asian Fisheries Academy and the Seafood Processing Plant. all of which are now benefiting the whole nation.

According to Rosario, the Asian Fisheries Academy inside BFAR-NIFTDC received a grant from the Japanese government soon after then Speaker De Venecia brought the Japanese ambassador to the center. (Leonardo Micua)

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