According to BFAR Cordillera director Rebecca Dang-awan, the bureau is also focusing on climate change adaptation measures, aside from food security and increasing price of oil.
In line with this, Danga-awan said during a press conference last Monday, that BFAR is already promoting best cage practices for fish farming or aquaculture. The BFAR introduced this in Ambuklao Dam in Bokod, Benguet wherein they have already reduced the culture time of fish so that its harvest time would not reach the rainy or typhoon season.
She also affirmed that BFAR is strengthening the water monitoring system in fish cages or aquaculture areas.
Ms Dang-awan also stated that the government is strengthening the weather monitoring equipment of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geo-physical and Astronomical Service Administration, for better public advisory and this includes the capacity to properly or timely advise our fish cage operators to harvest their stock before a typhoon hits them.
Other steps being done by the bureau is the introduction of support technologies in Cordillera that adapt to changing climate and reduce energy consumption and greenhouse emissions.
The said technolgies include the use of windmills which is already being installed in Kalinga and Ifugao for trial; promotion of high yield and climate resilient fish species or strain such as Pangasius; cold tolerant tilapia and loach or yu-yu; as well as the promotion of low input system.
BFAR is also promoting ecosystem-based practices or approaches which include poly-culture, integrated aquaculture and agriculture, and the use of probiotics. It is also into improving, and promoting indigenous or existing knowledge or practice in managing resources and alternative management system, and establishing micro-hatcheries in strategic places to cater to the needs of the fisherfolk especially in far-flung areas.
Despite the series of typhoons that recently passed through Cordillera, there are minimal reports of damages from the fishery sector in the different parts of the region, Ms Dang-awan also reported.(JDP/LD-PIA CAR)
BFAR Enhances Climate Change Adaptation Measures
PHILIPPINES - The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)is now bringing in support technologies that would help the fishery sector adapt to extreme climate changes that will be hard to determine or monitor.
