Bangus, tilapia fry ample despite bad weather - BFAR

By: Orti Despuez, InterAksyon.com
August 17, 2012 5:42 PM

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MANILA - Despite three typhoons and the southwest monsoon rains, the supply of bangus and tilapia remains ample, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said on Friday.

“Fish supply remains stable here at the National Capital Region. Most of these are sourced from the fish cages in Taal Lake where zero fish kill was attained this year because of proper resource management by all stakeholders,” BFAR director Asis Perez said.

Perez has instructed BFAR regional offices to reserve the surviving bangus and tilapia fry in hatcheries for distribution to calamity-stricken fish operators.

He said the agency will resume the distribution of bangus and tilapia fry among fish operators once the weather becomes favorable for grow-out.

More fish cage and fishpond operators in the Ilocos Region joined the list of those affected by the previous two typhoons and the monsoon rains, as intense flooding due to Typhoon Helen hit the area on August 14.

Fishery losses

Preliminary reports indicated that losses in bangus and tilapia stocks reached P780,000, while damage to facilities hit P26,000.

BFAR Region 1 director Nestor Domenden said the bad weather displaced at least 113 fish operators.

Aside from the fingerlings that escaped from fish cages and damaged dikes, 7.5 tons of marketable size tilapia was also lost in the past week.

Damage to fish cages and fishpond operators has reached P584 million, with 96 percent of the losses representing fish and inputs such as feeds.

Some 7,981 fishpond and fish cage operators from Regions 1, 2, 3, 4A and the Cordillera Administrative Region had incurred the losses.

Region 3 however was the hardest hit with 8,827 hectares or 21 percent of the total production areas affected. Fish damage in terms of cost of inputs and farm gate price were pegged at P507 million, while wrecked facilities cost P12.7 million. The number of displaced operators reached 6,225 or 78 percent of the total for all regions.

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