Some 45 units of concrete artificial reefs were deployed at the marine protected area here as part of the inauguration of the Lingayen fish sanctuary on Monday that aims to boost fish production in the province of Pangasinan.

In a statement issued by the Lingayen Municipal Information Office, Department of Agriculture Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) officer-in-charge Rosario Segundina Gaerlan said the project would help increase fish productivity in the area and further improve the marine ecosystem.

“Heto pong mga artificial reef po natin ay makakatulong sa ating mga mangingisda dahil doon po tutubo ang mga lumot na kakainin naman ng mga isda at magkakaroon na rin sila ng masisilungan (The artificial reef would help the fishermen because the algae will grow there that would be food for the fishes where they would also have shelter),” she said.

Lingayen Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil said this was the brainchild project of Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino III, in cooperation with DA-BFAR and the municipal government.

“Through the years, the catch of our fisherfolk in our town fishing at the Lingayen beach has declined. They catch fish through the traditional way…,” he said in one of the Network Briefing News aired through the Philippine Information Agency Pangasinan Facebook page.

Bataoil said he coordinated with Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino III who saw this as an opportunity to deploy artificial reefs as a response.

“These will serve as sanctuaries to the fishes and hopefully, these will increase the catch of the fisherfolk,” he added.

Meanwhile, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer Rhodyn Luchinvar Oro said the provincial government of Pangasinan targets to deploy concrete artificial reefs in the different parts of the province.

Oro said this project would also provide protection to the communities against huge waves caused by natural disasters.

The provincial government of Pangasinan, municipal government of Lingayen, and DA-BFAR also broke ground on a watchtower Monday.

Some 40 fisherfolk would serve as “Bantay Dagat” members and beneficiaries of the cash-for-work project of the provincial government as they ensure the cleanliness along the artificial reefs and the watchtower, according to the Provincial Information Office. (PNA)