Alaminos fisherfolks rely on payao for bounty catch

Alaminos, Pangasinan, Philippines — Fishermen in this city can now look forward to having a bountiful fish catch to sustain their livelihood with the installation of deep sea-fish aggregating devices.

The fish aggregating device called payao serves as a marker of a safe fishing zone.

 An additional 35 units of payao were installed in the province. These were on top of the 15 other units previously given by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

 Payao is made of big plastic drums that serve as floaters where big ropes are tied to them and a cemented anchor is dropped to the coastal water to make them steady in one area.

It has coconut fronds hung on the big ropes to host algae that will serve as food of the fish.

Small fish will be attracted and feed on them, and will, in turn, draw big fish in the area. The big fish will consequently eat the small fish.

As fish converge in the area, fishermen are expected to have a bountiful fish catch.

“They no longer need to go away to fish. With this device, they will have sufficient income as they can fish anytime here,” said city agriculturist Arceli Talania.

Fishermen from Alaminos said the payao serves as a signal they are in safe fishing zones.  No fishermen are allowed in protected areas.