DAGUPAN City Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. is optimistic that the bangus industry in Dagupan will bounce back in just a few months now that the city’s bangus growers have received their free stocks of bangus fry from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

Fernandez, one of the biggest fishpond operators in Dagupan, personally thanked Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap for the free 1.8 million bangus fry to help rehabilitate the city’s bangus industry affected by onslaught of Typhoon “Cosme”.

The fresh stock of bangus fry was distributed to fishponds and fish pens destroyed by Typhoon “Cosme”. The local bangus industry is estimated to have sustained P548 million in damages.

BFAR and the Finfish Hatcheries Inc. based in Sarangani province in Mindanao distributed 322 bags, or 1,854,754 pieces of bangus fry to each of the bangus growers as part of the 10 million bangus fry allocated to Pangasinan under the rehabilitation program.

Fernandez said the city’s bangus industry can be expected to grow leaps and bounds with the timely assistance from the national government.

City agriculturist Emma Molina said local bangus growers anticipate the bangus fry to have a survival rate of from 80 to 85 per cent through effective farming method and water management.

The city government assured bangus growers of continued technical assistance to ensure their success.

Molina encouraged local fish farmers to feed their fish with natural food called “lablab” in lieu of commercialized feeds which are now very costly. – LM

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments