BFAR to Disperse 236,000 Fingerlings in Benguet
May 30, 2015
BAGUIO CITY – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in the Cordillera(BFAR-CAR) is set to distribute a total of 36,000 catfish and 200,000 tilapia fingerlings to the different municipalities of Benguet this May as part of its input assistance program.
BFAR under its Supply Services for Fish Productivity is consistent in giving assistance to fisherfolk in Cordillera through fingerlings dispersal and distribution with the aim of alleviating poverty and inclusive growth for sectors with high poverty incidence.
Dispersal will be done through cross-matching on the beneficiaries released by the BFAR Central Office to confirm if they are registered under the Municipal Fisherfolk Registration Program (FishR) and listed in the National Targeting System for Poverty Reduction of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Aside from the fingerlings, the identified recipients will be provided with feeds and technical assistance.
Prior to the distribution, the BFAR, local government unit, and fisheries technicians in municipalities will conduct site validation of the identified beneficiaries to determine if their proposed site for fish production is feasible for rice-fish culture.
Rice-Fish culture is a technology where fish is integrated in the rice paddies and grown simultaneously. Pond preparation is done at least two weeks before the stocking of fingerlings. Fish stocks will then be monitored by the bureau on the first month to determine the growth performance and the daily feeding requirements until harvest.
According to BFAR, production of tilapia and catfishin the province is increasing and is a good sign of aquaculture development. Likewise, the number of registered fisherfolk in the province has increased to 2, 553./BFAR-CAR
