CEBU CITY, March 4, 2021- Through the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program, the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – Region 7 (DA-BFAR7) provided tilapia farming interventions worth Php 120,000 to Bongbong Tree Planters Association (BTPA) in Bohol.

According to Bohol PFO head Candido Samijon, the FY 2020 Tilapia Floating Cage Project for Tilapia Culture consists of construction materials for building a tilapia floating cage (7m × 7m x 3m) and 10,000 tilapia fingerlings with fish feeds sufficient for the entire cycle.

The awarding of the livelihood assistance occurred during the formal turnover of the DA7-aided Small Water Impounding Project (SWIP) on February 26 in Barangay Bongbong, Ubay, Bohol.

BFAR Region 7 is grateful for the support shown by its mother office, DA7, especially to the Regional Executive Director Salvador Diputado, for allowing the bureau to use the SWIP for aquaculture activities.

SWIP is an artificial lake that is used to collect or store rainfall and runoff water for several purposes such as inland fisheries. Fishers (fishpond and fish cage operators) can use the SWIP in rearing or farming fish such as tilapia in freshwater.

Tilapia culture in Ubay, Bohol

Since 2019, the Bohol PFO has been monitoring the status and progress of SAAD-funded projects, rendering technical assistance to the associations for it to sustain their livelihood. It also empowers the local small-scale fisherfolk by forming them into cooperatives so as to maximize the government’s resources in boosting their income and productivity.

RED Diputado pushes for the improvement of tilapia production in Ubay and is hoping for it to thrive as the tilapia grow-out culture complements the proposed establishment of tilapia hatchery in the town.

Mr. Samijon is also optimistic that BTPA will manage the assistance well and eventually operate as an enterprise.

Of the 10,000 fingerlings, 5,000 were stocked inside the existing floating cage which was provided in 2019 while the other half were dispersed at the SWIP site for breeding purposes.

BTPA expects to harvest about 900 kilograms (kg) of grown tilapia worth Php 90,000 if sold at Php 100/kg in July or August.###

Writer: May Miasco – Cabucos, SAAD Information Officer- BFAR SAAD Region 7
Photos: BFAR7, Sonshine Radio
Copy-editor: Natalianne Marie O. Delos Reyes, PR and Comms Officer- SAAD NPMO