The Provincial Governor of Tawi-Tawi, Sadikul Sahali, has issued an open invitation to interested investors in an effort to promote interest in the project and the Governor has been escorting technical teams evaluating the potential of the proposed hatchery.

Private sector representatives have been shown existing fish cages used for the raising of grouper (lapu-lapu). The latter are part of another livelihood project supported by GEM.

The multispecies hatchery is being constructed by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), which is investing P10 million in the facility. It will invest an additional P5 million in a 200-hectare Mariculture Park.

The overall objective of the project is to provide revenues, employment, and entrepreneurial opportunities for Tawi-Tawi residents through High-Value Aquaculture. Target commodities for production include high-value grouper, abalone, and sea cucumber.

The project is also being assisted by the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC), which is developing the technical designs, the Philippines Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA), which will undertake the construction, and the Provincial Government of Tawi-Tawi, which is providing 2 hectares of land for the hatchery site, and has allocated P5 million for site development.

The Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) among the project implementers stipulates that the facility will be turned over the local government upon completion. However, the project concept requires the participation of a private sector investor to operate the facility.

"While it is the government that is providing the resources to build the hatchery, the only logical group to actually run it efficiently, commercially, and profitably would be a private company with the necessary technical knowhow and business acumen," emphasizes one of GEM’s Fisheries Advisors.

"Several companies have submitted letters of interest or undertaken inspection of the proposed hatchery site," reports a GEM staff, "It is already publicly known that Alsons Aquaculture Corporation, one of the country’s largest aquaculture exporters, and GEM’s partner in an ongoing grow-out project for MNLF beneficiaries, has already sent a technical team to inspect the project site. We have five additional Philippine companies exploring project feasibility, and two foreign companies – one Singaporean and the other, Chinese – scheduled to pay a visit, as well."

Despite the number of expressions of interest, the project is not closing its doors to additional offers. "One possible outcome of this effort could be the establishment of a consortium of private companies," explained Dr. Stan Swerdloff adding that, "the ideal composition of such a consortium would be a local Tawi-Tawi based investor, another group to manage technical operations, and at least one foreign company to handle marketing, and to provide technical advisors with expertise in the target culture species."

"Various private companies and individuals have also expressed interest in investing in processing facilities and grow-out operations in Tawi-Tawi. The missing critical element is the multi-species marine hatchery," he said.

The prospects of identifying a private partner willing to invest and operate the hatchery are high because, according to Dr. Swerdloff, "where else can you find an opportunity for which the cost of construction is already being shouldered by the government?"