SURIGAO DEL SUR, June 17, 2021- The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – Special Area for Agricultural Development Program (BFAR-SAAD) in Caraga distributed 81,700 tilapia fry (newly hatched tilapia) to the Tina Lagoon Fisherfolk Association (TILAFIA). Another batch of 18,300 fry will be delivered within the month to complete the inputs. Overall, TILAFIA will receive 100,000 tilapia fry worth Php 10,000. The Tilapia Nursery Livelihood Project  has a total cost of Php 26,260.

The association also received four bags of fry boosters worth Php 6,000 and 18 bags of tilapia fry mash (aquafloat) worth Php 10,260 good for one cropping.

The marginalized fisherfolk group composed of 20 household members from barangay Tina, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur was identified as priority beneficiaries under National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) areas.

During the turnover activity, association chairman Mr. Mario Mahayahay expressed his appreciation to BFAR. He said that they were pleased that the SAAD Program was implemented as it provided them additional livelihood that helps sustain the needs of their families.

The tilapia nursery was identified as a suitable project for the fishers during the community needs assessment from the previous year.

The project turned the association into becoming a tilapia fingerlings supplier for fishpond operators in their municipality and neighboring localities.

In this project, the tilapia fry were reared for one month in the hapa nets (fine mesh cages) up to 6-13 centimeters (cm) fingerlings sizes which are sold at Php 0.50-1.00/ pc to fish pond and cage operators for culture into marketable sizes.

Currently, there are 22 hapa nets with dimensions of 3 meters (m) x 5m or a total of 330 square meters of nursery maintained by the association. Each hapa net can be stocked with up to 5,000 tilapia fry at an expected 50-70% survival rate.

The said activity was joined by BFAR personnel headed by Alternate Focal Person of SAAD for fishery in Surigao del Sur Mr. Julius Sabino, BFAR interns under Mentoring and Attracting Youth for Agribusiness (MAYA), Municipal Agriculture Officer Mr. Ulysses B. Ravelo, and the members of the fisherfolk association. ###

Writer and source: DA-BFAR Caraga

Copy-editor: Natalianne Marie O. Delos Reyes, PR and Communications Officer- SAAD NPMO