1st Fisherfolk Congress set in Pangasinan

DAGUPAN CITY — Fish be with you. This will be the main topic of the First Fisherfolk Congress to be held at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Bonuan Binloc here as fisherfolk from this city and in the towns of Mangaldan, San Fabian, Manaoag and San Jacinto will keep themselves abreast of various technologies on fish breeding and culture from March 26-30.

Dr. Westly Rosario, BFAR center chief here and executive director of National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI), said the activities lined up aim to boost fish production in Pangasinan which is gifted with vast coastal, river, and fishpond areas.

Angelito dela Cruz, BFAR agriculturist and in charge of the Fisherfolk Congress said it is high time that the developed technologies of BFAR in this city as well as in other areas as well as that of National Fisheries Technology Development Centers will be shared and transferred to fish farmers for their adoption.

On March 26, the program starts at 8:a.m. on inland aquaculture that includes aquarium fishes, its setting, culture and breeding as well as community production scale. In the afternoon, there will be lecture/demo on catfish breeding and culture.

On March 27, fisherfolks will learn about tilapia and ulang (giant freshwater prawn) breeding and culture as well as lecture.

Marine aquaculture will be the focus on March 28 for oyster, crab, lapu-lapu cultures in the morning and bangus lecture on fishpen, fishpond and fishcage in the afternoon. Also, on the same day, Philippine-Bangus Development program will be discussed as well as culture of pompano (Stromateus Niger) or black pomfret as well as P. vannamei. (Pacific white shrimp) will be held.

On March 29, it will be devoted for post harvest technology as lecturers will talk on handling and storage of P. vannamei, fish processing like bottling, smoking and deboning.