Fisherfolk group successfully grows bangus in floodwaters

By Leezen Morten, CLTV36 News

A group of fishermen in Brgy. San Isidro, Macabebe, Pampanga has successfully raised bangus (milkfish) in floodwaters using a fish cage.

The Magkabalikat Fisherfolk Association harvested almost a ton of bangus from fish cages installed by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – Central Luzon (BFAR-3) on Thursday, September 19.

According to Wilfredo Cruz, regional director of BFAR-3, they attempted to grow over 4,000 bangus fingerlings in May 2024 after they observed that the floodwaters in the area had become saline intruded– meaning a mix of freshwater and saltwater.

The agency aims to make the once vast agricultural land, now resembling a lake due to accumulated rainwater and high tide, productive again.

“We are looking for ways to utilize and make areas affected by climate change, like this one, productive again,” Cruz said.

While the bangus were successfully grown, the project’s success will still depend on whether the fishermen who dedicated their time to the fish cages can sell their produce. To prove that flood-grown bangus are safe to consume, BFAR-3 personnel and the fishermen cooked and ate their harvest.

Cruz furthered that if the project proves successful, BFAR-3 may replicate the same program in other flood-prone towns in Pampanga and Bulacan. (JYD)

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