Binangonan aquaculture station chalks up R&D breakthroughs

BINANGONAN, Rizal – The frontiers of research in freshwater aquaculture in the country continue to broaden, thanks to the breakthroughs achieved by the Binangonan Freshwater Station (BFS) in this lakeside town.

Established in 1976 at a 45-hectare area at Tapao Point, barangay Pipindan, along the shores of storied Laguna de Bay, the BFS has over the past quarter of a century chalked up significant research headways in freshwater species that helped sustain the people around the 90,000-hectare lake and adjacent regions.

BFS, which celebrated its 26th anniversary last July 26, was set up by the government-hosted, Tigbauan, Iloilo-based Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC AQD) to serve as a center for research in freshwater aquaculture and lake ecology.

AQD, currently headed by Dr. Rolando Platon, is one of the four technical departments of SEAFDEC, a treaty organization founded in 1967 to promote fisheries development in Southeast Asia.

Over the years, the BFS has been developing appropriate techniques and technologies in freshwater aquaculture to optimize the use of inland waters for food production.

The station, presently headed by Dr. Zubaida Basiao, now counts on facilities that include laboratories, land and lake-based aquaculture structures, a training building, and housing units for staff members and guests.

Species of interest during the early years of BFS included tilapia, milkfish, freshwater prawn, and some native fishes found in Laguna Lake.

After a decade, research centered on tilapia, carp and catfish (hito). Recently, research efforts also focused on local freshwater species of importance to Southeast Asia, which is SEAFDEC‘s service region.

A BFS report prepared by Malou Aralar stated that technique for the operation of lake-and land-based hatcheries, nurseries, and grow-out systems for Nile tilapia have been developed.

Broodstock (breader) development and management schemes, hatchery, nursery, and grow-out techniques to further enhance fry production and growth has been improved.

Simple procedures for the evaluation of tilapia strains under different environment conditions and for genetic improvement of the Nile and Red tilapia have been developed. The genetic variation of different generations of Nile tilapia is being monitored.

Success in bighead carp technology includes the refinement of techniques for induced spawning, egg incubation, and fry production. The development and management of bighead carp in cages in Laguna Lake was also studied. Moreover, bighead carp from different commercial hatcheries have been genetically characterized.

Research efforts have likewise been focused on the native catfish as part of SEAFDEC AQD’s efforts to rehabilitate dwindling stocks of this fish in inland waters in the country.

As part of this initiative, broodstock management and breeding techniques for captive native catfish were developed. Feed for broodstock, fry, and juveniles have been formulated. Hatchery and nursery techniques for this species were improved.

"Owing to BSF's location, the bulk of studies conducted on lake ecology and management has been in Laguna de Bay, although other lakes were also studied," Aralar reported. "Water quality affecting fish production in this lake has been monitored since 1976."

A collaborative project aimed at developing a scientific base for the sustained and rational use of Laguna de Bay for fish production was further completed. Another collaborative research program on the development of appropriate technologies for the integrated use of lakes is ongoing.

A cost-effective, environment-friendly method for the intensive tank culture of fish using lake water is currently being developed. This project aims to use simple, low-cost, and effective treatment facility for aquaculture wastewater.

BFS researchers have also conducted studies on mass fish kills in Laguna de Bay.

BFS further reported that developments in freshwater aquaculture technology are translated not only in scientific publications but also in training and extension services.

The station has trained a good number of local and international participants in various aspects of freshwater aquaculture through the years. Undergraduate students of fisheries and related fields have taken advantage of the on-the-job training provided by BFS.

Graduate students have also benefited from the thesis program instituted by the Binangonan Freshwater Station.