SEAFDEC/AQD Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center | Aquaculture Department
By Development Communication Section / EGDJ Ayson
AQD researcher Ms. Ma. Rovilla Luhan and scientist Dr. Evelyn Grace Ayson gave lectures on seaweed and marine fish culture, respectively, at the Agar-agar farming, lapu-lapu culture and hatchery forum and consultation organized by Hon. Congressman Victor Yu from 7 to 8 February in Pagadian City, Philippines. Forty-nine farmers and LGU officials from Pagadian City and the municipalities of Labangan and Tukuran in Zamboanga del Sur, south western Philippines attended the forum.
From the discussion at the forum, it appears that farmers are constrained by two main problems: (1) outbreaks of ice-ice disease & lack of good quality seaweed planting materials and (2) low supply of grouper fingerlings. Congressman Yu immediately addressed these, saying that his district will establish a seaweed tissue culture laboratory and later, a multi-species marine fish hatchery.
As the initial step, he sent four lady trainees to AQD to join the “Seaweeds farming” course (19 March to 1 April) organized by AQD at its Tigbauan Main Station in Iloilo.
