The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Central Visayas (BFAR-7) and the Bohol Island State University (BISU) in Tagbilaran City on Thursday forged an agreement to boost the province’s milkfish (bangus) industry by producing fingerlings, locally known as “garungan.”
BFAR-7 and BISU signed a memorandum of agreement led by BFAR regional director, Dr. Allan Poquita; and Candido Samijon, head of the Bohol Provincial Fishery Office (PFO).
In a statement, Samijon said the bureau will give to the university some 1.05 million pieces of fry to be delivered in three separate production cycles.
He said BISU will provide the site for at least two-hectare fish pond, particularly at the university’s campus in Candijay town. It will also share farm inputs and employ pond caretakers.
Samijon said BFAR, through the Bohol PFO, will render technical assistance to guide the university and will train the caretakers for a week at the BFAR Central Visayas Multi-Species Nursery Demonstration and Training Center in Bentig, Calape, Bohol. This will capacitate their skills in milkfish production.
Moreover, he said that 90 percent of the marketable fingerling production goes to BISU and some will be sold to neighboring fish cage operators.
The 10 percent share is for BFAR, he added, and will be used in augmenting the fingerling supply of the bureau and the fishery projects of the local government units in the province.
“This project will also support mariculture parks and, at the same time, will serve as a training facility for fishery students,” said Samijon.