The Davao City Agriculturist Office (CAgrO), In line with the celebration of the 60th Fish Conservation Week, distributed food packs to fishermen during a Seaborne Patrol Operation on Tuesday.
Aimee Evora, acting head of CAgrO’s Fisheries Resource Management Services Division, said that the FishCon was also meant to highlight the importance of the fisherfolk sector as they play a vital role in food security.
“So kato atoang pahalipay sa ilaha, nanghatag ta og mga food packs sa katong mga compliant nato nga mga fishermen, pasabot anang compliant naa sila’y valid fishing license ug boat registration certification (As a way of showing gratitude to them, we gave food packs to compliant fishermen. By compliant, we meant those who have a valid fishing license and boat registration certification),” Evora said.
On Monday, after the kick-off of the FishCon week, CAgrO went to Sitio Upian in Marilog District to disseminate Tilapia fingerlings in the Upian River. Evora said this was to enhance fish productivity in the communal waters.
As part of the agency’s programs to support the fisherfolk sector of the city, Evora said that they also give out Tilapia and Hito fingerlings to upland fish farmers. They also give technical training to fish farmers to guide them on how to properly culture their fish.
“Sa atoang mga small-scale fish cage operators sa Punta Dumalag, naa pud ta’y mga ginahatag nga bangus fingerlings, and sa atong mga fishermen naa ta’y mga gipanghatag before nga mga fishing bangka, and in coordination with BFAR, naa ta’y mga fishing paraphernalia nga gihatag and naka avail pud ang atoang mga fishermen sa fuel subsidy program sa BFAR (We also give Bangus fingerlings to the small scale fish cage operators in Punta Dumalag. In the past, we gave our fishermen fishing bangka, and in coordination with BFAR, we also gave fishing paraphernalia. Our fishermen were also able to avail of the fuel subsidy program of BFAR),” she added.
For the first batch of the fuel subsidy program of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), 90 percent of the 600 registered boat operators were able to receive the subsidy. The agency is still waiting for updates from the BFAR regarding the schedule of the second release due to the current election ban.
Evora also said that part of the intervention her office is doing to address the problem of low fish productivity in the city’s municipal fish production is developing the upland aquaculture areas through the establishment of fishponds. The agency also proposed the establishment of a marine aquaculture area in Lasang. CIO
