SIQUIJOR, May 26, 2021– To reduce wastage of fish feeds, several fisherfolk and 18 recipients of the FY 2020 Milkfish (Bangus) Culture in Fish Pens or Cages funded by the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program in Siquijor were convened for a refresher course on feeding management.
Spearheaded by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – Siquijor Provincial Fishery Office (BFAR Siquijor PFO), the one-day training was held in barangay Poblacion, Siquijor, Siquijor.
The representatives were 13 members of the Tamarong Fisherfolk Association (FA) (4 participants), Siquijor Inland Fish Groomers Association (4 participants), and Tinago Farmers and Fisherfolks Association (3 participants) from barangay Tinago; and the Marine Sanctuary Management Association from barangay Caticugan (2 participants).
Other fish pen operators from barangays Pasihagon (2 participants) and Cang-alwang (1 participant) in Siquijor town as well as from Barangay Nagerong Pasihagon (2 participants) in Lazi town also participated.
The SAAD fishery sector in Siquijor has allocated a budget of about Php 2 million worth of packaged interventions for the said associations (Table 1), including San Juan SAAD FA from San Juan Town.
Tamarong FA and San Juan SAAD FA were equipped with materials for construction of fish pens; all associations received fingerlings and feeds.Table 1. SAAD-funded interventions in SiquijorTraining on Bangus Feeding
The training is to impart knowledge and skills in feeding management, particularly feed computation and proper feeding method which they may apply on their actual operation. It was pointed out that wasted feed equates to an “income lost” on the part of the beneficiaries.
The Siquijor PFO noted the significance of the refresher course, saying that fish feeds comprise almost 70% of its operational expenses which is crucial for the success of the SAAD-aided project.
The office also initiated the conduct of the activity to provide an avenue for the beneficiaries to share experiences and feedback on actual operation of the project.
Apart from the discussions, they were also given brief orientations on entrepreneurship, coastal resource management, and Gender, Development and Values. ###
Writer: May Miasco Cabucos, Information Officer- BFAR Region 7
Copy-editor: Natalianne Marie O. Delos Reyes, PR and Comms Officer- SAAD NPMO
