BFAR Fish Pond Lease Hits P1.6 million in 2007

Records from BFAR showed there were 223 fish pond operators in the province covering an area of 2,819 hec.

The office also collected more than P149,000 from issuing licenses to 65 fishing boats and 767 fishermen in the same period. A licence to fishermen expires after three years.

BFAR inspected some 1.2 million kgs. of fishery products for export having a declared value of P102 million. These products include grouper, milk fish, squid, nylon shell, shrimp and crab meat.

Among the projects the office implemented in 2007 in various LGUs of the province are: tilapia culture, seaweeds culture, abalone stock seeding, grouper culture and aquasilvi culture (mudcrabs).

It has conducted various training on fish culture, cooking and preservation and held consultations with various Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Councils (FARMC) in the province.