A man is carefully arranging plastic bags full of tilapia fry. Currently, fishpond owners source out fry from Cebu or Iloilo where there are large-scale productions of fry from big hatcheries. (Photo courtesy of Municipal Information Office of San Jose)
SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro (PIA) — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Mimaropa recently awarded P30,500,000 to the local government unit of San Jose in the province of Occidental Mindoro for the construction of a multi-species hatchery in the municipality.
A multi-species hatchery is a facility where artificial breeding, hatching, and raising fry or fingerlings can be done for fishes such as tilapia, bangus, and shellfish.
Municipal Agriculturist Romel Calingasan highlighted several positive impacts of the construction of the first hatchery in the province, “Ang kagandahan niyan…magiging income-generating ng munisipyo yan…[magbibigay rin ito ng] job opportunities sa construction ng hatchery.”
He also underscored its benefit for the fisherfolks in the province as it will make fry stocks more accessible. Currently, fishpond owners source out fry from Cebu or Iloilo where there are large-scale productions of fry from big hatcheries.
“[Kapag operational na ‘yung hatchery,] ‘yung ating mga fishpond owners na nag-aalaga ng bangus ay hindi na para bumili pa [ng fry] sa [malalayong] probinsya, kung hindi dito na mismo sa atin kaya hindi na rin sila mahihirapan. Anytime, madali na silang makakapag alaga kasi mayroon ng available,” said Calingasan.
The Municipal Agriculturist added that with the provision of the infrastructure, the municipality might be able to supply fry to other neighboring provinces when its production stabilizes.
The hatchery is set to be built in a one hectare area in Barangay San Agustin. Calingasan estimates the construction to start in the second quarter of 2024. (DSG/PIA MIMAROPA – Occidental Mindoro)
