BFAR allocates P684 M for El Niño mitigation

MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is allocating P684 million to mitigate the effects of El Niño on the fishery sector.

BFAR said P85 million would be used to stock fingerlings  and establish fish sanctuaries, P195 million to promote seaweed farming and P104 million to deploy payao, a fish aggregating device, and monitor its users.

A total of P225 million will be allocated to implement measures to prevent illegal  fishing, including the protection of coral reefs, mangroves, sea grass beds, mudflats and juvenile fish, and increase the natural capacity of lakes, reservoirs and other fresh water bodies to produce fish.

The commercial fisheries sector will get P64 million while P10 million will go to algal bloom monitoring.

Shrimp farm losses may reach 5,000 metric tons estimated at P177 million while tilapia production is seen to drop by 27 percent at 69,740 MT or P1.15 million. Hatchery output is expected to drop by 35 percent.

BFAR said catch from municipal and commercial fishing might decrease by 23 to 20 percent, respectively, in the first quarter of the year.

The dry spell is seen to affect around 100,000 fisherfolk in 58 provinces.