BALER, Aurora - The Department of Agriculture through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is aggressively exerting more efforts to turn Aurora province in Region 3 into a centerpiece of aquaculture.

BFAR director Malcolm I. Sarmiento, Jr., in his message during the launching and awarding of various fisheries projects in the province held recently at the Aurora State College of Technology (ASCOT) said that the water- rich Aurora province could be the perfect site for aquaculture development.

“With an abundant water supply, Aurora Province lies between the world’s biggest ocean (Pacific Ocean) and the country’s largest mountain range (Sierra Madre) making it the perfect site for aquaculture”, he said.

According to Senator Edgardo Angara, a son of Baler who became Agriculture secretary, the fishery projects are consistent with the agriculture and fisheries modernization act (AFMA) and the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) of the agriculture department.

AFMA, which was authored by Angara himself, aims to strengthen the agriculture and fisheries sectors through modernization, food security and food self-sufficiency, private sector participation and people empowerment.

Aquaculture projects
Part of the fishery projects launched in the province by BFAR and the LGU include the upgrading of existing fish hatcheries, establishment of techno-demo bangus cage and seaweed nurseries and installation of payao or fish aggregating devices in various coastal waters of the province.

Two existing fish hatcheries are scheduled for rehabilitation and upgrading this year. The hatcheries are expected to provide the fry and fingerling requirements of the fishfarmers in the locality.

A total of P1.92M was allocated by BFAR to upgrade the Zabali High-Value Fish Hatchery of ASCOT with the construction of a marine hatchery for breeding siganids, seabass and bangus and other high value species. This is in addition to the provision of fish broodstocks and technical assistance to ensure the proper operation and management of the hatchery.

Also, some P700T was released to the LGU of Aurora to rehabilitate the provincial fish hatchery in Brgy. Reserva from the joint DA-FAO emergency assistance to support the rehabilitation of sustainable agriculture in typhoon affected areas in region 3 and 4-A.

Regional Director Remedios Ongtangco, revealed that the BFAR regional office 3 is also set to develop some 1,000 hectares of seaweeds grow-out. This project is expected to produce some 24,000MT of dried seaweeds and generate 20,000 jobs from CY 2005-2010, she said.

Initially, a total of 5 seaweeds techno-demo nursery farms will be established in the municipalities of Baler, Casiguran, and Dingalan.

GROUND BREAKING CEREMONY-Senator Edgardo M. Angara (in striped shirt) together with Aurora Governor Bellaflor Angara-Castillo (4th from right) leads the groundbreaking ceremony of one of the various fishery-ralated projects of Aurora province launched recently in support of the government's agriculture and fisheries modernization. Also in the photo are BFAR Director Malcolm I. Sarmiento, Jr. (in checkered shirt), cong. Juan Edgardo M. Angara (2nd from left), ASCOT president Dr. Romeo Cabanilla (4th from left), Melchor Tayamen, chief BFAR-National Freshwater Fisheries Technology Center (5th from left) and other local officials.

"Payao Model Unit"

Municipal fisheries project
BFAR will also install 2 units of payao in Baler that is expected to help improve the catch of marginal fishermen and reduced their operating cost and time.

“Payao” is a fish aggregating device consisting of a floating raft anchored by weighted line with suspended materials such as palm fronds to attract pelagic and schooling species common in deep waters. These are installed along the path of migratory high value species such as tuna and tuna-like fishes. Local fishermen associations guard these units and when there is already enough fish population converging in the area, catch them either with hook and line or nets, hence contributes to coastal resource conservation.

Technical assistance in the maintenance and management of the payaos and conduct of trainings and orientation will also be undertaken.

To kick off sea farming activities, a techno-demo milkfish cage culture will be established in Casiguran Bay. The project aims to train and develop the entrepreneurial skills of municipal fisherfolk through hands-on management of the milkfish cages. It also aims to showcase and demonstrate the potential and viability of milkfish production if fish cages using the latest culture tectnologies. Casiguran has the potentials to become the Mariculture Capital of Northern and Central Luzon having an initial potential area of 300 hectares which can be utilized for mariculture activities.

Previously, BFAR had turned-over a fiberglass patrol boat to the local government for use in monitoring, control and surveillance of the province’s rich fishing grounds. Sarmiento said that the protection of our territorial waters is a matter of national pride. Foreign poachers have made the country their favorite fishing grounds, confident that they will not be caught anyway. With the deployment of the said patrol boat, fish poachers would have second thoughts in coming to exploit our seas. This will be reinforced later on by a much bigger patrol vessel to be manned by the Philippine Coast Guard and BFAR personnel, the director added.

Moreover, Sarmiento divulged that BFAR will also conduct in the immediate future research and oceanographic studies to validate reports by the Japanese government that the Philippine side of the Pacific Ocean has the only warm breeding ground of the blue-fin tuna, the most expensive of all tuna species.

Aurora fisheries profile

Aurora province is located along the Pacific Ocean with a coastline measuring some 332 kilometers from Dingalan to Dilasag. It has 7 major fishing grounds consisting of the Pacific Ocean, Casiguran Sound, Baler Bay, Dibut Bay, Casapsapan/Dilasan Bay and the Dingalan Bay. The major fish species caught in these waters include high-prized blue marlin, tuna and tuna-like species, Spanish mackerel, squids, octopus and coral fishes.

The province inland resources consists of more than 120 hectares of freshwater and brackishwater fishponds, mangrove, rivers and irrigated rice fields.

Production figures provided by the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics show that Aurora produced a total of 4,316 metric tons of fish last year with the municipal sector contributing the biggest share of 3,636 metric tons followed by aquaculture, 653 metric tons and commercial fisheries, 27metric tons.

Seven of its eight municipalities are coastal with more than 3,000 individuals engaged in fisheries and aquaculture activities.