The provincial government will establish a giant clam hatchery and an ocean nursery in a bid to address the longstanding problem of expensive seafood in Bohol, said a Provincial Board member.

Board Member Abeleon Damalerio in his committee report on Thursday said that the proposed project would spawn giant clams which will be distributed to marine protected areas (MPA) for seeding.

Following the proposal, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) passed a resolution allowing Governor Edgar Chatto to sign a memorandum of agreement with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Bohol Island State University (BISU) on the implementation of the project.

Damelorio who chairs the SP committee on agriculture noted that the provincial government allocated P600,000 for the giant clam hatchery and ocean nursery as part of a seeding program.

According to a technical working group on MPAs in the province, there are 10 MPAs in Bohol including Bingag, Dauis; Balicasag, Panglao; Basdaio, Guindulman; Lumayag, Mabini; Sinandigan, Ubay; Gaus, President Carlos P. Garcia; Cataban, Talibon; Hambungan, Inabanga; Mahigpit, Clarin and Badiang, Anda.

Damalerio said that the project is intended to lower fish prices and improve marine environment as giant clams will draw and provide food to fishes and other sea creatures.

Four personnel of the provincial government were trained on how to manage and run the hatchery at the BFAR Region 8 in Samar, he added.

BISU, for its part, will collect and analyze data from bio-physical surveys and on giant clam culture. (R. Tutas)