Inquirer.net reports that at the 10th National Tuna Congress held here early this month, aquaculture experts encouraged more tuna industry stakeholders to diversify into aquaculture as a way of adapting to the decline
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* "Aquaculture production in Mindanao offers opportunities for growth, with a variety of species available" |
Ramon Macaraig, president of the Chamber of Aquaculture and Ancillary Industries in Sarangani (CHAINS)
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Aquaculture production in the country has significantly expanded over the years, with the industry now valued at $750 million, said Ramon Macaraig, president of the Chamber of Aquaculture and Ancillary Industries in Sarangani (CHAINS).
According to Enquirer.net, with the stricter enforcement of tuna management conservation measures resulting in lower catch levels worldwide, increasing domestic aquaculture production can fill in the current supply gap in local and foreign markets and ensure the country's food security.
"Aquaculture production in Mindanao offers opportunities for growth, with a variety of species available," Macaraig said, adding that diversification into aquaculture can supplement the incomes of those who at present depend exclusively on the tuna catch.
While it is not yet economically feasible to farm yellowfin tuna and other commercial tuna species, there are high-value marine species with good potential in both domestic and Asia-Pacific markets, including grouper, pompano, mangrove snapper and Asian sea bass.