The provincial government here is collaborating with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and municipal authorities to substantially increase aquaculture production to partially compensate for a projected decline in farm output due to the El Niño dry spell.

In an interview on Monday, Provincial Agriculturist Marlon Tobias said the Capitol’s campaign is anchored on the propagation of “tilapia” fingerlings in both backyard fishponds, and in the provinces’ fresh water rivers and lakes.

He said his office has been distributing fingerlings to both fishermen and land farmers who are currently struggling with the drought.

“We have regular fingerling distribution conducted monthly and as we see any immediate need in the rivers connected to Laguna Lake. This is important for us to increase the catch of our fishermen and to have a stable supply this dry season,” Tobias told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

More than 50,000 fingerlings have been distributed to 110 fishpond operators in the town of Luisiana in collaboration with its municipal government, he added.

The Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) has also been releasing tilapia fingerlings into the wild to ensure that agriculture workers displaced by El Niño can find food in Laguna’s bodies of water.

Tobias said that during the Holy Week, he led the release of 31,000 fingerlings in the Balanac River in Magdalena town in response to the request of the municipal government.

In Biñan City, another 31,000 fingerlings have been dropped in the river seeding activity in Barangay Malaban in partnership with City Agriculture Office and Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Councils (FARMCs).

“This initiative shall continue to revitalize the waters of the Laguna, whether it is in the river, lake, or aquaculture areas. Fingerlings are helpful for local fishermen,” Tobias said.

Tobias underscored that income of fishermen will be much higher if they catch only the bigger and heavier fishes and avoid catching small ones.

He assured the public that his office will be closely monitoring the status of fish supply in the province to quickly address production concerns.

Tobias said this initiative is in addition to other efforts made by the BFAR and their respective municipal and city agricultural offices to boost local fish production. (PNA)