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| (L-R) Vice Mayor Amado Rubite, Mayor Reynaldo Pollicar, Dr. Hiroshi Ogata, and Mr. Armando Fermin release the abalone inside PVC pipes. SB Members Magdalena Cazeñas and Jonathan Diana look on |
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| Together, SEAFDEC/AQD and the municipal officials of Anini-y ceremonially release the first two out of a total of ten boxes of abalone. |
Mr. Armando Fermin,program leader of SEAFDEC/AQD's Integrated Mollusk Program, Dr. Hiroshi Ogata (SEAFDEC's Deputy Chief), Municipal Mayor Reynaldo Pollicar, Vice Mayor Amado Rubite, and SB Members Jonathan Diana and Magdalena Cazeñas led the ceremonial releasing of abalone juveniles. It was the first time SEAFDEC released abalone into the wild for sea ranching.
The abalone could be partially harvested after about 9 or 10 months. The rest will hopefully become the parents of a healthy abalone population which will thrive in the area for generations to come.
"Go forth and multiply," Mr. Fermin said to the abalone as they settled among the corals.
After the release, a memorandum of agreement was signed between the Municipality of Anini-y and SEAFDEC/AQD. While the latter is responsible for stocking and an information campaign about the benefits of abalone ranching, the local government of Anini-y and their Municipal Fisheries for Aquatic Resource Management Council Systems (MFARMCs) will provide assistance to SEAFDEC personnel and protection to the seeded abalone.
According to Dr. Evelyn Grace de Jesus-Ayson, Research Division Head, SEAFDEC/AQD added that while SEAFDEC may have the technical resources to launch a reseeding and sea-ranching program such as this, it is more difficult to organize and educate people about sustainable aquaculture. The cooperation of the community is vital to the success of the project.
Source: The News Today