The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Central Luzon has provided some 60,000 “bangus” (milkfish) fingerlings to fish growers in the coastal towns of Macabebe and Masantol as part of the agency’s continuing efforts to boost fish production.

BFAR Regional Director Wilfredo Cruz said on Wednesday some 30 local fish growers benefited from the bureau’s input assistance program that could help boost their livelihood.

Cruz said the provision of fingerlings aims to increase fishpond productivity to boost fish sufficiency in the province.

“This intervention is expected to generate an increase in harvest to support food supply and boost fish production in the province,” he said in a social media post.

Last October, the BFAR also distributed various marine species to fisherfolk in the province.

These include 530,000 post-larvae of P. vannamei shrimp, 250,000 bangus fingerlings, 450,000 sex-reversed GET-EXCEL tilapia fingerlings, and 200,000 saline tilapia fingerlings.

Pampanga Provincial Fisheries Officer Nico Wamil said some 150 fishpond operators from the towns of Lubao, Sasmuan, Masantol, Macabebe, Mexico, Porac, Candaba, San Luis, and the City of San Fernando benefited from the program.

“Ang pinaka pakay natin dito ay magkaroon ng sapat na pagkain, hindi lang ang Pampanga, kundi maging ang buong Gitnang Luzon. Pero sa tulong din nitong dispersal na ginagawa natin, magkakaroon din ng karagdagang pagkakakitaan ang ating mga mangingisda (Our main objective here is to have a sufficient supply of foods not only in Pampanga but also in the entire Central Luzon. But also through the help of the dispersal that we are doing, our fisher folks will likewise have an additional source of income),” Wamil said. (PNA)