PGMA Visits Samal Island Mariculture Park

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and officials of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar) on Thursday briefed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on fish caging facilities and business opportunities of the mariculture park at Sitio Leydao, Barangay Adecor in Kaputian on the Island Garden City of Samal.

The mariculture park, which was established in August 2001, is supported by Bfar Southern Mindanao, which continuously implements interventions for the development of the project.

Earlier, Bfar regional director George Campeon said the establishment of different mariculture parks in the region is the government’s support to local fisher folk.

He said Davao Region’s fish catch is not enough, thus the need to intensify aquaculture production is one of the bureau’s focuses.

Rupert Mata, Samal mariculture park staff, said the mariculture park in Samal has nine investors at present.

These investors include the Formentera Aquaventures, Quiboloy Fish Farm, the Crismar, and Free Willy Aquaventures, Bereso Fish Farm, Inju Piniel, and Estrera Fish Farms, Jorona Aquatic Resources and the Bfar demo cage.

“We have a target of eight shipments of bangus this month. Our main markets are US, Canada, Hawaii and Japan,” he said, adding that they also target to ship a total of 20,000 kilos of bangus to these countries.

Last year, Mata said the Samal mariculture park was able to ship 340 tons of bangus to both local and international markets.

“The Samal mariculture park has a total of 50 cages and we can harvest 6,000 kilos of bangus per cage,” Mata said, adding that they harvest bangus every four months.

Mata also disclosed that one of the challenges in the industry is the cost of inputs like feeds.

“It would be good if there is a feed mill in Samal that can supply us feeds. Commercial feeds are too costly,” he said.

Mata said the cost of feeds was placed at around P700 per bag and the mariculture park utilizes about 50 bags of feeds per day.

Meanwhile, the Samal mariculture park has been named as one of Asia’s best projects.

President Arroyo visited the mariculture park together with Chinese and Thai investors, who expressed interest in investing in aquaculture ventures in the area.

Mata, on the other hand, said more investors mean more jobs for residents in the area.

Arroyo briefed on Samal mariculture opportunities | Sun.Star Network Online

Related article:

GMA pushes Samal Island as investment haven | PhilStar

AKP Images / Keith Bacongco