Bien Unido starts abalone culture

AFTER seaweeds culture, fishermen of Bien Unido and Pres. Garcia towns have still another alternative livelihood coming – abalone farming. This after Mayors Marianita Garcia and Fernando Boyboy respectively are slated to sign memoranda of agreement (MOAs) with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Datingbayan Foundation, Inc. (DFI) defining their responsibilities in this latest effort to reduce poverty.

Gov. Erico Aumentado has been seeking alternative livelihood for fishermen who used to engage in illegal fishing to ease the pressure on the sea. Bien Unido and Pres. Garcia are two of 10 Bohol towns abutting the Danajon Double Barrier Reef that the governor wants to rehabilitate, preserve, conserve and protect. Of Bien Unido's 15 barangays, eight are island-barangays while Pres. Garcia is an island town. DFI is a non-profit non-government organization registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The MOA is borne out of the parties' deep concern in coping with the growing incidence of destitution in the coastal communities in the Danajon Reef, resulting in the apparent injudicious exploitation of its marine resources and the concomitant degradation of its coral reserves. Local government units (LGUs) are mandated by the Local Government Code to assume direct responsibility of protecting the integrity of its marine and terrestrial eco-systems.

BFAR on the other hand is tasked by the government to develop to the hilt the potentials of aquaculture to fill up dwindling catches of marine fishes. It is also tasked to make up for deficiencies in the supply of protein to the undernourished population especially in the rural sectors. DFI has the expertise to assist the LGU and BFAR in setting up replicable models of fairly commercial and demand driven aqua-mariculture enterprises including methodologies in processing and marketing of the products.

As such, the parties, after giving due weight to the role of poverty reduction as a sound measure in addressing the problem of marine degradation and resource depletion in the reef agreed to jointly undertake the establishment of an abalone culture in the seawaters initially of both towns. They agreed that the LGU will enact a basic and comprehensive municipal fisheries ordinance delineating the boundaries of its municipal waters in compliance with the Fisheries Code of 1998, and allocate specific and demarcated areas for the project and issue the necessary permit to operate.

The LGU, through usufruct, will allow the use of land and existing structures needed by the project to be used as training center and other activities that may advance the cause of environmentalism and sustainable economic pursuits. Under the MOA, BFAR's assignments include the conduct of cost estimate of reparations of the abalone hatchery in Calape town to place the facility in the full commission to provide a year-round supply of juveniles and by way of counterparting, provide the cost of labor therefore. It is also tasked to assist the LGU and DFI in establishing the feasibility, synergism and sustainability of a combined mariculture undertaking and maintenance and protection of a fish haven.

Its expertise is also tapped to assist in monitoring the water parameters of the project to ensure that its quality is devoid of bacterial presence in conformity with requirements set by foreign buyers and in compliance with existing laws that protect local consumers. BFAR's laboratory facilities will also be made available for product tests and bacterial determination in harmony with foreign and local food safety criteria.

For its part, DFI will conduct a series of socio-economic and environmental awareness seminars for pre-qualified and pre-screened project participants, a package of technical, environmental consciousness, gender mainstreaming, reproductive health, sanitation and other eye-opening lectures designed to enhance sensitivity of the fisherfolk to concerns that directly affect them, their communities and the project.

It will also design and install grow-out cages and conduct hands-on demonstration on farm care, post-harvest handling and proper waste disposal and use of parts of the product into income-generating items. Anticipating growth, DFI will also package project proposals for bank financing and/or pre-development grants, and to pursue research and development, among others.

Collectively, the parties agree to organize and strengthen capabilities of existing Fisheries and Agricultural Resource Management Councils (FARMCs) as LGU consultants and create an inter-agency sectoral committee to formulate fisheries policies on regulation and licensing. Signing for BFAR will be Region 7 Director Dionesio de la Peña and for DFI, its chair Maximo Ricohermoso.

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