Fish farmers deny ‘forced’ milkfish harvesting reports
AQUACULTURE fish farmers in Western Pangasinan are not engaging in ‘forced’ harvesting of milkfish (bangus), contrary to a news report by a local TV channel on April 10, 2024.
This was clarified by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Regional Office 1 in a Facebook post, refuting the news suggesting that some bangus growers in Western Pangasinan were doing it because of the threat of fish kill.
The post added that the individual quoted in the news appeared to be a “viajero” who transports bangus from aquaculture farms to local markets, not a bangus grower.
Elizabeth Tomas, municipal agriculturist of the local government unit of Anda town, said harvesting at this time is normal, adding that growers conduct “thinning” through partial harvests to ensure better growth of their remaining stocks.
On the other hand, in Bolinao town, Anabelle Echavez of the Municipal Agriculture Office – Coastal Resource Management Office and Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council MFARMC secretary, said operators were also advised to harvest their marketable stocks to prevent potential losses after recent results of water quality monitoring indicated low dissolved oxygen levels but no order to ‘ force harvest’ of bangus stocks was issued.
BFAR Uno’s monitoring for March and the past two weeks recorded desirable to low levels of dissolved oxygen and ammonia nitrogen, both parameters essential to fish farming, and there was no threat of or impending occurrence of fish kill during the same monitoring period.
BFAR continues to regularly monitor water quality conditions in all aquaculture production areas, and results are immediately provided to all concerned LGUs to ensure that fish farmers are properly guided and assisted, and no fish kill occurs.
Recent monitoring results do not indicate any likelihood of occurrence of fish kill.
BFAR continues to guide the LGUs and fish farmers with information based on scientific data and advises them of appropriate steps to ensure that losses are prevented or minimized. (Eva Visperas)
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