Boosting Tilapia Production! BFAR Targets Quality Feeds, Fingerlings In Fish Farming

The absence of quality fingerlings and a standardized formulation of aqua feeds, including the lack of access to the direct market, have been identified as the major factors in the slow growth of fish farming in the country.
On Friday, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, one of the agencies under the Department of Agriculture, addressed these concerns by initiating a series of consultations with the stakeholders of the Fish Farming Sector, especially the country’s Tilapia farmers.
The new BFAR National Director, Demosthenes Escoto, and Assistant Director Isidro Velayo met with the stakeholders of the Tilapia Industry led by Phil-Tilapia President Jon Juico and the owners of one of the country’s biggest hatcheries in Laguna, Raul and Marissa Leynes.
The move actually was a result of the feedback I and Filipino-American aquaculturist Rocky French provided the BFAR director after a chance encounter with the Phil-Tilapia officers led by Jon Juico in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija last month.
Among the issues raised during the initial consultation which was also attended by officers of the National Freshwater Technology Center led by Dr. Judecel Danting were:
1. Deteriorating quality of Tilapia fingerlings due to inbreeding;
2. Absence of standards and regulations on Aqua Feeds formulation;
3. Limited access of Tilapia producers to the market.
With the inputs provided by the Tilapia farmers and hatchery owners, BFAR will next engage with the Aqua Feeds producers in another consultative meeting.
Director Escoto said that the outcome of the series of consultations would be a wholistic program which aims to boost the production of Tilapia, including Bangus, to help achieve fish sufficiency in the country.
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(Photos were taken by BFAR staff.)