Kalap Vol. 10, No. 01, January-June 2009 556kb - Bureau of ...

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Recognizing the burden borne by
fish farmers from high input costs
particularly feeds, the Bureau of
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has
included in its CY 2009 plans the
widespread promotion of
duckweeds as supplemental feeds
for tilapia, bangus, pangasius and
carp.
Duckweeds (Lemna spp.) are
tiny free-floating plants with reported
crude protein content of 18 – 42
percent. Earlier study made by the
bureau’s fish farm in Iguig, Cagayan
has determined the viability of using
this rapidly-reproducing plant as
alternative diet without adverse effect
on the growth of tilapia.
Said study has determined
optimum feeding mixture at 50
percent fresh duckweeds and 50
percent commercial feeds. The
feeding combination even achieved
higher growth rate compared to the
treatment that used pure commercial
feeds.
On monetary terms, a 1,000
square meter semi-intensive
fishpond using this feed combination
can easily cut feed expenses by more
than 10 thousand pesos (20+ bags)
on 1 culture cycle (4 to 5 months) or
more than 100 thousand pesos for 1
hectare.
“Considering that costs of
commercial feeds have risen by less
than 10 percent to 25 percent based
on 2008 figures, while retail price of
tilapia had remained constant, the
50% savings will certainly mean a lot.
Duckweeds will also help us address
dependence on imported corn as
KALAP January - June 2009
BFAR 2 outlines plans for ’09
TUGUEGARAO CITY, CAGAYAN – Fisherfolk in
Cagayan Valley can expect higher profitability for the coming
months as the fisheries bureau in the region has targeted the
introduction of several cost-reduction and productivity
enhancement technologies for 2009.
raw material for feeds which is
currently around 90 percent of total
national requirement,” BFAR RO2
Regional Director Jovita Ayson said.
As targeted during the Planning
Workshop with LGUs last Feb. 3 &
4 in Aparri, Cagayan, BFAR RO2
will establish 10 duckweed demo
sites for the whole region.
Other aquaculture technologies
to be introduced or promoted are:
Polyculture – defined as the
scientific process of raising two or
more non-competing fishery species
in single / common culture system,
polyculture can potentially raise
farmer’s income through the optimum
utilization of inputs and culture area.
Last year’s polyculture projects
of BFAR RO2, involving the
combination of ulang
(Macrobrachium rosenbergii)–
tilapia–carp and tilapia–common
carp–African catfish, had achieved
93 & 58 percent additional net
income compared to pure semiintensive
tilapia farming.
Pangasius culture – a fast
growing and hardy fish, pangasius
has been proven to be feasible under
fishpond, fish cage and organic
culture systems in region 02
conditions.
To address main constraint
which is the inadequate supply of
fingerlings, BFAR RO2 will establish
a hatchery at its station in San Mateo,
Isabela. The bureau together with the
Office of Provincial Agriculturist -
Cagayan had also proposed to the
agriculture department the
construction of a pangasius hatchery
at the OPA facility in Bantay,
Camalaniugan.
Other aquaculture technologies
to be introduced are urban, upland
and mangrove aquaculture, and 45days
delayed feeding technology.
The agency will also introduce culture
of high value species such as
abalone, sea urchin, mud crab, and
sea urchin.
To support its flagship fingerling
production and dispersal program,
Ayson bared the rationalization of 6
BFAR fish farms in the region with
the aim to maximize utilization of area
and hence, increase fingerling
production.
The agency has targeted the
production of 12.29 million
fingerlings and 1 million oyster spats
this year as measure to increase
dispersal to its LGU and fish farmer
clientele in the region.
On the coastal and marine front,
the fisheries bureau will distribute
environment friendly fishing gears
such as fish trap, troll line, long line
and gill nets in addition to the
implementation of regulatory
activities. BFAR will also continue
with its widespread distribution and
installation of fish aggregating
devices or ‘payao’.
Ayson said that the interventions
will help address ongoing economic
crisis and will enable the region
achieve 66,400 MT production for
2009 or an increment of 7 percent.
2008 fisheries production level
in region 02 stands at 62,057.96
MT which corresponds to 56.49
percent fish sufficiency level.