BFAR, Cagayan fisheries office give assistance to Calayan fisherfolk
IN a move to implement various programs under the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley), the BFAR Regional Fisheries Training and Fisherfolk Coordination Division, along with the Cagayan Provincial Fishery Office, conducted a three-day validation and assessment activities in the third week of February.
BFAR Region 2 Director Angel Encarnacion said the event included the fuel discount program, registration of fisherfolk and fishing boats, Typhoon “Egay” fishing boats rehabilitation program, aquaculture technology demonstration (pondbased culture of freshwater species) and development of a salt industry.
Encarnacion said that the fuel discount program aims to assist fisherfolk “to ease their burden with the price hike of petroleum products such as gasoline and diesel.”
He said that petroleum products are the main operational cost in fishing activities and P3,000 in cash assistance was given to each registered fisherfolk with a registered boat.
The BFAR said the event also included the conduct of validation and evaluation on-site for the recipients of the aquaculture technology demonstration, wherein proposed sites for the final validation were submitted to the municipal agriculturist officer for finalization and approval of the bureau’s regional director.
Meanwhile, the development of the salt industry in Region 2 has started, aiming to revitalize production of the commodity in the region.
“The bureau’s first step in realizing this goal is the profiling of the salt industry in the region,” Encarnacion said, adding that the salt industry team is set to conduct a region-wide assessment of existing local producers.
He said this includes the old producers who had stopped engaging in salt production on Calayan Island as the first site.
According to BFAR, the result of the profiling will provide a database on the number of local salt producers in each province.
“This will also determine the needed inputs for the establishment of salt-making or salt production projects geared toward increasing total regional salt production,” Encarnacion said.
“With these proactive activities, the bureau’s commitment is to work for sustainable fisheries development and empower fisherfolk toward productivity and efficiency,” he added.