BONGAO. Tawi-Tawi – The mariculture industry, a sunshine industry in Tawi-Tawi, is growing fast and has seen a steady increase in the province’s export of cultured high-value fish products to Asian markets.

Tawi-Tawi Gov. Sadikul Sahali Wednesday said his government is presently pursuing seriously programs on mariculture aimed at generating more employment opportunities in the province.

“We have realized the tremendous and far-reaching potential of mariculture industry as it promotes livelihood and employment opportunities, alleviates poverty, raises food production, and conserves our marine environment,” the governor said.

Tawi-Tawi, he said, has two breakthroughs in the field of mariculture this year – the Lato-Lato Multi-Species Hatchery, a multi-stakeholder facility, and the Mindanao State University (MSU) Abalone Hatchery.

The Lato-Lato Multi-Species Hatchery has successfully spawned groupers in two batches in their hatching tanks this year.

“Although mortality is still high but the first batch is now about fry size and the second batch is now about one to two centimeters in size, he said.

This is a promising indication that, very soon, this Lato-Lato Hatchery can provide the necessary grouper fingerlings that will be grown in the different mariculture parks in various parts of the province, with the assistance of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the governor added.

This will reduce the pressure from the wild for fries and conserve the wild resources while at the same time provide very lucrative economic opportunities to the fisherfolks in the province.