The provincial government here has launched a food security initiative to increase the output of local fishponds.

In an interview on Saturday, Provincial Agriculturist Marlon Tobias said they would continue distributing free tilapia fingerlings to small-scale aquaculturists to help them become more productive.

More than 30,000 tilapia fingerlings were distributed to 25 fish pond operators in December.

The office plans to sustain the program the entire year.

On top of this, the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) would also release fingerlings in suitable freshwater lakes and rivers in Laguna to ensure that fisherfolk have enough fishes to catch.

The fingerlings shall be deposited in the different waters of the province, including Laguna de Bay, Seven Lakes, and Caliraya Lake, to ensure that the types or species of tilapia of fish pond operators are of good breed and grow fast.

“We aim to help raise the livelihood of the other fishing sectors, so that the time will come when they will no longer be called small fishermen but good and prosperous fishermen because they themselves have the capacity to teach and share,” he told the Philippine News Agency.

Tobias said operators have dwindled by almost half by the end of 2023, citing the high price of feeds and quality tilapia seed.

The provincial government is also planning to conduct techno-demo sessions in fishing and distribute starter packages for alternative fish feed production.

“I hope that the cooperation of the members of the fishing industry will continue and be further intensified, so that we can realize that in Laguna, agriculture will flourish,” Tobias said. (PNA)