The Philippines: OPA, BFAR assistance boost Antique’s fish production

The various forms of assistance provided by the Antique Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to fisherfolk have increased marine production in the province.

Alette Gayatin, Senior Aquaculturist at the OPA, said in an interview Tuesday that the province has increased its fish production compared with last year's, owing to government interventions.

“Through the OPA, there are Lambaklad projects in the six coastal municipalities of Antique that have reported 57.53 metric tons of fish production as of October 2023,” she said. She enumerated the towns as Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, Barbaza, Bugasong and Tibiao.

The Lambaklad project employs the "otoshi-ami" method using fishing gear and nets. Gayatin added that although she could not ascertain the amount of assistance the BFAR has extended to the fisherfolk, the fishing gear, boats, nets and other equipment have contributed greatly to the fish production. “Based on our available data, the fish production in Antique for the first quarter of 2023 is already 6,623.82 metric tons,” she said.

Gayatin said they are still waiting for reports from the municipalities so they can update the data on the total fish production for the year. Antique has a total of 18 towns -- 15 are coastal municipalities and three are inland or mountainside towns. “The fish consumption in Antique is 18-20 kilos per year per person,” Gayatin noted.

Source: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1215680