Balik Sigla sa Ilog at Lawa launched in Abra

JUAN, Abra — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources aims to see Tineg River teeming with native species of fish as it launched the Balik Sigla sa Ilog at Lawa (BASIL) program at Brgy. Daoidao on June 27.

“Cognizant of the sincerity, cooperation, and firmness of the local leadership of this municipality in the enforcement of Municipal Ordinance on the Protection and Conservation of the Rivers and the marine life in the local bodies of water, we have chosen to launch the program here,” declared BFARCordillera regional director Lilibeth Signey during the launching.

BASIL is a nationwide program of the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture with the BFAR as lead implementer. It primarily aims to repopulate the inland water resources with the native species of fish such as ayungin, biya, dalag, kanduli, ulang other species like carp and tilapia. In Abra, the fresh water eel called igat as well as the ludong. This way, the open waters increase their productivity that consequently increases the income of the fisherfolk for inclusive growth and poverty alleviation.

During the launching of BASIL, BFAR also seeded 10,000 eel, 2,000 tilapia, and 3,000 carp fingerlings.

Signey assured all the other 16 municipalities traversed by the Abra River including all its tributaries will be stocked with fingerlings in the succeeding months.

Mayor Meynard Arturo Bautista assured his full support in the management and monitoring of the program in order to ensure the complete rehabilitation and habitat restoration for the fresh water species of fish.