Amidst concerns about food security, particularly fish, the government through the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fish and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), has bolstered the aquaculture sector through expanding fish hatchery capacity and targeting higher fish production volume.
By expanding fish hatcheries, BFAR hopes to stabilize the supply by adding local sources for fingerlings that are intended for fry production. BFAR is planning to build additional hatcheries in several cities and municipalities and will also be overseeing the distribution of fingerlings to satellite nurses and local hatchery operators in the country. The fingerlings will include Bangus (milkfish), tilapia, pompano, and siganid – a species that has 104% production at present.
The Philippines has produced approximately 4.4 million metric tons of seafood in 2020 with over 50% of the volume coming from aquaculture. Hatcheries will boost the employment of fishery workers while providing a sustainable source of food for the people. It will also act as a research hub for fish breeding and spawning of live seafood.
(Sources: The Fish Site; Far Eastern Agriculture)
