TO ENSURE fish supply sustainability in the country, the Philippine Technical and Administrative Committee (PTAC) members requested the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (Seafdec) to put all aquaculture research and development plans into fruition.
“The Philippines’ aquaculture industry needs to improve aggressively and we wish for SEAFDEC/AQD to put plans into action,” Director Eduardo Gongona of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said during the 27th PTAC Meeting in October in Makati City.
The PTAC is tasked to coordinate between Seafdec and the Philippine Government as host and is comprised of representatives from relevant government agencies.
Gongona highlighted the importance of aquaculture research and development as it can address the country’s major concerns including food security and, even, decongestion of urban areas.
“Through enhanced aquaculture technologies, the government can encourage the urban poor to transfer to the rural areas with the option of better source of livelihood and income,” he said.
PTAC members also suggested for Seafdec, together with its government partners, to improve the mechanism of converting field-tested studies into technologies that may be adopted by stakeholders.
“We believe that research, especially those with great potential, should be converted into something tangible that can help the industry,” Seafdec’s Aquaculture Deparment chief Dan Baliao concurred.
Proposed production of low-cost feeds
Baliao revealed that stakeholders will soon benefit from the mass production of low-cost feeds for milkfish, a product of years of nutrition research at Seafdec.
Through a proposed feed mill to be constructed at its Tigbauan site, Seafdec will be responsible for the mass production of formulated broodstock and grow-out milkfish feed which will be distributed to BFAR demonstration centers and facilities all over the country.
Baliao pointed out that the project was made possible through collaboration between Seafdec, BFAR, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, and Bureau of Agricultural Research.
“This is the reason why we wish to work closely with BFAR because they have the facilities and the demonstration funds to verify the technologies,” he added.
Continued commitment
During the meeting with PTAC, Baliao and the rest of the Seafdec executive committee members renewed their commitment to contribute to Philippine aquaculture through technology transfer and extension.
PTAC reviewed Seafdec’s accomplishments and plans in terms of research and development, technology demonstration and extension, training and information, and administration and finance.
At the end of the meeting, the department’s accomplishments in 2018 were noted and the plans for 2019, including the proposed budget for year 2020, were endorsed. (Seafdec PR/PN)
