To guarantee the sustainability of the country’s marine products supply, Sen. Cynthia Villar yesterday sought the Senate approval of bills proposing to establish three marine multi-species hatcheries.
In her sponsorship speech, Villar, chairperson of the Senate committee on agriculture and food, said the hatcheries will be built in Libon, Albay; in the City Environmental Estate of Barangay Santa Lucia, in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; and in Batad, Iloilo.
Within two years after the construction of the Albay hatchery, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources shall transfer the management of the Central Multi-Species Hatchery to the Libon local government.
The management of the Palawan hatchery will also be transferred to the LGU and to the Western Philippine University within five years from its construction.
The satellite multi-species hatchery in Batad, on the other hand, will eventually be managed by the Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College.
In pushing for the approval of the hatcheries, Villar cited the significant contribution of fisheries to the national economy in terms of income and employment.
In 2018, she related that the total fish production was estimated at 4.61 million metric tons, and the fisheries sector contributed $4.9 billion to the country’s economy.
“However, compared to our South East Asian neighbors, we are only number four in marine capture after Indonesia, Vietnam and Myanmar. We are also number five in our inland (municipal waters) fisheries output compared to Myanmar, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam and number three with regards to aquaculture production, after Indonesia and Vietnam,” said Villar.
Villar said the country’s estimated requirement for fish fry is about 3.5 billion annually.
“We can only supply from local production 2.5 billion a year.”
“In this age where competitiveness is the key for our local industries, we cannot remain dependent on outside sources for our production inputs. Every agricultural industry should have a global perspective,” Villar added.
