Aime Evora, acting head of City Agriculturist Office’s (CAgrO) Fishery Resource Management Service Division, reported that the hatchery produced and released 165,000 tilapia and 25,000 hito fingerlings between January and June.
She said before the hatchery’s operation, the city relied on shipments of fingerlings from BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources), which often experience high mortality due to the stress of long-distance transport.
“Ang kani’ng fingerlings gina kuha pa ni siya sa Nabunturan so ibyahe pa siya early morning dalhon diri sa Davao City, tapos ihatod pa sa atoang mga upland districts so atoang mga isda stress na kaayo pag-abot sa area, so taas siya’g mortality.” she said.
According to farmers’ feedback, it has higher survival rates compared to those received from Nabunturan, and we anticipate their overall production will likewise increase.
To further support fish farmers, Evora also stated that CAgrO will conduct feed formulation training for fisherfolk in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) this August and September.
This follows last year’s successful series of tilapia-raising workshops, which introduced best practices in pond management and water quality monitoring. (PIA/FRG)