Fisherfolk groups in Bohol yield good harvest, high income from BFAR-aided projects

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

BOHOL Province – Two fisherfolk groups in Bohol--the Kilusang Pagbabago from Maribojoc town and the Cansiwang-Tabunoc Small Irrigators Association from Guindulman town are reaping good harvests and high income from the fishery projects granted to them by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Central Visayas.

Kilusang Pagbabago from Maribojoc earned over Php152,800 from its recent harvest on May 20 of at least 1,176 kilograms of milkfish sold at P130/kilo while the Cansiwang-Tabunoc Small Irrigators Association from Guindulman harvested over 2,500 kilograms of tilapia from its floating fish cage that were sold at P100/kilo which earned them P250,000.

BFAR 7 - Bohol Provincial Fishery Office chief Candido Samijon with the local agricultural services office assisted the groups during the harvest events in both towns. 

He said that these projects intend to support the livelihood of marginalized fisherfolks especially at this time of pandemic, as well as to sustain the food sufficiency measures in the region amid the crisis.

Samijon added that the bangus floating fish cage project is an endeavor earmarked under the Targeted Actions to Reduce Poverty and Generate Economic Transformation (TARGET) program of BFAR, a program that seeks to alleviate the poverty status among "targeted" fishing communities by providing them comprehensive livelihood packages.

He said the floating fish cage, with BFAR's support is established at the Small Water Impounding Project initiated by the Department of Agriculture for rice irrigation.

Samijon said that this recent project is funded under the stimulus package, which was authorized by Republic Act 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan II) that aims to boost the country's aquaculture production.