The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday vowed to roll out more measures to help Oriental Mindoro increase its fish production and achieve food security.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol noted that the total fisheries production of the whole island of Mindoro reached only 34,085.84 metric tons (MT), or less than 1 percent of the country’s output last year.
“These figures should be increased to achieve food security for the province and nearby urban areas,” Piñol said in a statement.
The DA chief instructed the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to help the boost the fisheries production of Oriental Mindoro and also other provinces in the country.
In his meeting with farmers and fishermen on the island-province, Piñol said the island of Mindoro is being eyed as one of the key producers of affordable food for Metro Manila.
Apart from the island-province, Piñol said Central Luzon, Bicol and Quezon would also be tapped as Metro Manila’s major sources of affordable food.
Piñol also led the inauguration of the 10-hectare Integrated Learning and 4-H Camp of the Agricultural Training Institute in Barangay Libonan, Municipality of Bongabong. It was followed by a meeting with about 700 farmers and fishermen from different municipalities of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro.
Together with BFAR National Director retired Commo. Eduardo Gongona, Piñol awarded a total of 25 fiberglass boats to fishermen from San Jose and Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro. Each fishing boat, which comes with a 6.5-horsepower motor engine and a set of gillnet, will be co-owned by two fishing families.
After the dialogue and awarding ceremonies, the whole DA team inspected a number of government facilities for agriculture and fisheries, beginning with the BFAR’s Multi-Species Marine Fish Hatchery in Mindoro State College of Agriculture and Technology in Bongabong. Piñol checked the broodstock tanks of milkfish and instructed the BFAR to improve the operations of the facility.
On the way back to Calapan City, Piñol also checked the BFAR’s tilapia-hatchery facility in its Fisheries Research Station in Barcenaga, Naujan. Although still operating, the hatchery was badly hit when Typhoon Nona made its fifth landfall in Oriental Mindoro in December last year. Anecdotal reports say that Nona was the strongest typhoon to hit Mindoro.
Piñol ordered the immediate rehabilitation of the hatchery facility, adding that he wants it to produce at least 100 million fingerlings annually, a significant increase from the facility’s current target of 3.4 million fingerlings per year.
He said he also intends to introduce new practices in the operation of tilapia hatcheries and send the BFAR personnel to capacity-building opportunities abroad to help the government reach its goal of sufficient food supply for the country.
Image credits: BFAR photo