Bangus hatchery goes into commercial production

DAGUPAN CITY – The first government hatchery of bangus (milkfish) in the Philippines based at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Bonuan Binloc is now into commercial production.

Westley Rosario, BFAR officer in charge here, said they have already distributed about 200,000 fingerlings each in Regions 1, 2, 3, Davao, Zamboanga and in the Cordillera Autonomous Region.

He said later on, even private groups of fishermen which are into bangus culture can avail themselves of fingerlings from the hatchery.

He said the fingerlings are sold at 20 centavos below the current commercial price.

Rosario cited a report that of the finfish species cultured in Southeast Asia, milkfish contributes 56.2 percent to total fish production for aquaculture or 31 percent within the country. They are cultured in brackish water ponds and freshwater pens.

In the past, there has been unpredictable and seasonal supply of fry but with the successful spawning of wild and captive adult milkfish and the hatchery already in place, bangus can now be produced even offseason or year round.

The project started last year with an initial batch of 105 sabalos followed by another 66 in January.

Rosario said his office is targeting a production of 50 million fingerlings a year. – Eva de Leon