By MELODY M. AGUIBA
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the local government of Puerto Princesa on the establishment of a hatchery that will set off the operation of about two mariculture parks in this fishery capital in Palawan.
To be carried out over five years, the MOA initially involves production of fries and fingerlings of high-value marine species in the Sta. Lucia Marine Multi-Specie Hatchery.
DA-attached Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), together with the Palawan local government will formulate a Hatchery Development Plan aimed at maximizing the capacity of the island rich in marine resource for food production.
"BFAR and the city recognizes the more critical role of development thrusts by pooling resources and manpower to maximize operations. This will pave the way to viable operations of seacages in mariculture parks to be established," the MoA indicated.
Signatories to the MoA were DA Secretary Arthur C. Yap, Bureau of Fisheries and Agricultural Research Director Malcolm I. Sarmiento, and Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn.
Yap said boosting the country’s fishery production has become pertinent to the country’s food security considering that fishery takes up 24 percent of the Philippines’ total agricultural production.
Sarmiento said the development of mariculture parks in the country will bring in investors from nearby countries Japan, Taiwan, and China which will may locate in the parks in order to produce high-valued, export-bound fishery products.
Under the MOA, BFAR will supply the fingerlings for the hatchery and will field representatives to a committee that will craft the hatchery plan. Puerto Princesa will provide the budget for the development of the plant, will hire expert breeders for the program, and will also commit to be part of the hatchery plan committee.
A big potential growth driver for the fishery program is the involvement of the private sector which could eventually venture into export of fishery goods.
The program basically involves aquaculture which is bringing in much of the growth in fishery or about 50 percent of fishery production.
Among the major species produced in aquaculture fisheries in the country as of 2005 are milkfish, 289,152.6 metric tons (MT), shrimps/prawns, 39,908 MT; and tilapia, 163,003 MT.
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