Freshwater Lobster Farming Eyed In Bangsamoro Marshlands

A team of aquaculture experts from the Southeast Asia Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) will arrive in Cotabato tomorrow to study the viability of growing Freshwater Lobster or “Ulang” in the Liguasan and Libungan-Torreta Marsh in Central Mindanao.
Director General Dan Baliao of the Iloilo-based SEAFDEC formed the team last week after I asked for a technical evaluation on “Ulang” farming in floating cages in the periphery of the 250,000-hectare marshlands.
The idea came about during a casual conversation I had last week with Agriculture Undersecretary Jerome Oliveros who handles Foreign-Funded Projects.
Usec Oliveros said he was looking for viable projects for ODA Funding.
That was when I proposed “Ulang” production in floating cages, including other species native to the marsh.
The Liguasan and Libungan-Torreta Marshes are natural habitats of the Freshwater Lobster, locally known as “Pahe.”
There had been no attempts to commercially produce “Pahe” in floating cages.
Recently, SEAFDEC announced that it had succeeded in breeding “Ulang” and could produce up to 100,000 post-larvaes (PL) every week.
Joining the team in the site visit on Tuesday are representatives of Inca Mariculture Plastics which makes floating cages.
#KungGustoMaramingParaan!