The members of the Cagdianao Farmers and Fisherfolk Marketing Cooperative (CAFFIMACO) had their first bountiful harvest of bangus (milkfish) from their production project on Tuesday seven months after its implementation.

The Dinagat Islands provincial government released in June last year some 3,000 fingerlings of bangus to CAFFIMACO for their production project.

“The production of bangus is among our priorities for fishermen in Dinagat to ensure that they have other sources of income for their families,” Gov. Nilo Demerey Jr. said in a statement on Wednesday.

The first harvest on Tuesday, he added, proved that fisherfolk organizations in the province are working hard to make their projects profitable and sustainable.

Around 450 kilos of bangus were harvested by CAFFIMACO from its project site in Cagdianao town.

“We aim to extend support, through sustainable projects, to the different sectors in Dinagat under our Remedy for Livelihood program and interventions,” Demerey said.

The CAFFIMACO will distribute the harvested bangus to various market centers in the province.

“We are looking for the expansion of our bangus production project and go into value-adding for some of our harvests,” the group said in a separate statement. (PNA)