PILAR, Abra – Two units fish cage techno-demo projects were installed in the Pagada River located at barangays Nagcanasan and Ocup which are identified as conflict-affected areas in the province.
Each unit includes four cages stocked with 6,000 tilapia fingerlings and bags of feeds intended for three to four months cropping period. A yield of almost two metric tons is projected after four months.
The effort of establishing a livelihood source was the initiative of the 81st Infantry Battalion during their serbisyo caravan November last year. They coordinated with the BFAR’s Provincial Fisheries Office to identify what fisheries intervention is feasible in the river.
Four months after, BFAR, the local government unit of Pilar, in partnership with the Community Support Program of the Charlie Company, 81st Infantry Battalion, 7th Infantry Division, led the stocking of tilapia fingerlings in the river.
The barangay’s fish supply come from the capital town of Bangued – a two hour drive from Pilar with a jitney fare of P400.
“We are very thankful that even in the remotest area in Pilar, our barangay is still able to receive livelihood assistance from the government. We hope to have more fisheries interventions in our barangay,” said Rodelio Diaz, representative of the Nagcanasan fisherfolk.
The tilapia fingerlings were sourced from San Ramon East, Manabo, through a beneficiary of a BFAR-funded research and extension project. – Rodelyn Foronda
May 1, 2024
