The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), region 10, has introduced the urban aquaculture, a low-cost technology which will enable the beneficiaries to raise hito using containers like plastic drums (to grow food fish) that do not require aeration and other expensive accessories.
Thirty to 50 pieces of 3-4 inches hito can be grown in one plastic drum with a survival rate of 90 per cent.
After a four month culture period, nine kilograms or three pieces per kilo will be harvested which can be sold at Php 90 per kilo.
Production cost for 50 pieces in a drum which include leftovers—mostly meat or entrails excluding labour—is only around 750 pesos with a net of 375 pesos.
Hito is a fast growing type of fish that thrives in rice fields, rivers and muddy places. They are carnivorous so their feed is 90 per cent meat or other protein sources.
BFAR-10 Director, David Ernacio describes this technology as manageable and environment-friendly that is adaptable to urban conditions and needs only a very limited space.
In Cagayan de Oro City, three barangays demonstrated the technology in the region, BFAR provided the beneficiaries with three plastic drums including hito fingerlings while the beneficiaries shouldered the supplemental feeds like trash fish and meat-based leftovers.
Fish in Drums, a Good Source of Livelihood
PHILIPPINES - Families can now simply raise hito in their backyard with plastic drums, which could be a good source of livelihood or for their own consumption.
