BFAR to establish 5,000 shellfish farms in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 28 (PNA) – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will establish 5,000 shellfish farms in Eastern Visayas this year, introducing environment-friendly methods.

BFAR Regional Director Juan D. Albaladejo said new farms will be established in Maqueda Bay in Samar, Carigara Bay in Leyte, and some parts of Biliran Strait in Biliran province.

“We will introduce long line methods using ropes to replace bamboo sticking method, which is still very common in many areas in the region,” he said.

The project will engage and train local fishermen in the long-line method, wherein shellfish grow along ropes suspended in the water column. The technology has been applied in many countries.

According to BFAR, sticking method triggers red tide bloom and marine pollution in the past few years. The use of bamboo poles to attract spats to settle leads to increased siltation and prevent adequate water circulation within the mussel area

“Prior to the implementation of this new project, we will advocate to local government units to pass an ordinance prohibiting the sticking method. Fishermen have to follow the rules if they want to avail this project,” Albaladejo said.

Sticking method has been widely practiced until this year in Jiabong and Villareal towns in Samar.

The project, which will raise output of green mussel and oyster, will prioritize Maqueda Bay, a major shellfish-producing area in Samar with about 700 producers, with an annual production of about 10,000 metric tons (MT).

Through the establishment of new farms, priority areas will hit the 40,000 MT production target by the end of the year.

BFAR will kick off the project on the second quarter of this year. (PNA)

FPV/SARWELL Q. MENIANO