Tuesday , 15 October 2024

Gov’t committee commends SEAFDEC/AQD’s aquaculture research & development efforts

By Development Communication Section

Ret. Commodore Eduardo Gongona, director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (left) and SEAFDEC/AQD Chief Dan Baliao (beside Gongona) discuss possible research areas in aquaculture during a break at the 28th PTAC Meeting last 9 October 2019 in Pasay City.

 

MEMBERS of the Philippine Technical and Administrative Committee (PTAC) commended SEAFDEC/AQD for its continued efforts to create aquaculture technologies that will benefit local fish farmers.

The PTAC is a committee tasked to coordinate activities between AQD and the Philippine government as host country and is comprised of representatives from relevant government agencies.

“We are happy to continue supporting AQD to have more resources for its programs and projects for the next years,” said Ret. Commodore Eduardo Gongona, director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) at the presentation of AQD’s 2019 achievements during the 28th PTAC Meeting last 9 October 2019 in Pasay City.

One of the most commended projects for 2019 is the development of low-cost feeds for milkfish and tilapia which were successfully verified through field-testing for cages and ponds in various locations across the country.

“We have successfully reduced the cost of feeds by 30 percent compared to the most cost-efficient commercial feeds available in the market,” said Dr. Roger Edward Mamauag, scientist and head of the Technology Verification and Extension Division, during his presentation.

The low-cost feeds by AQD also showed higher growth and weight performance compared to commercial feeds.

Gongona, in his capacity as PTAC Chairman, expressed his appreciation for this development and requested for AQD to move forward with the mass production of the formula.

“We [BFAR] can assist in looking into more demo-farms to test the feeds for faster confidence building on the formula as well as to ensure its quality,” said Gongona.

The committee also suggested for AQD, in partnership with BFAR, to conduct acceptability studies among aquaculture operators and fish farmers on the newly-formulated low-cost feeds.

“By lessening the cost of aquaculture production, we can claim that the next ten years is going to be the game for aquaculture,” added Gongona.

AQD also presented the progress of 49 studies under its departmental and regional programs as well as special projects in collaboration with the Philippine government.

 

Support for scientists

On the other hand, Prof.  Encarnacion Emilia Yap, dean of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Fisheries of the UP Visayas, expressed that aside from budget for research and extension, AQD scientists should be compensated well.

“Scientists are the lifeblood of AQD and with better salary and benefit packages, they could be even more productive than they already are,” she said.

This was supported by Gongona as he believed that scientists in the Philippines should be supported and given incentives.

“We are in the process of reviewing the salary scale of our scientists, researchers, and support staff. In view of the limited plantilla items for senior researchers in the department, we plan to invite visiting scientists from universities or other research institutions to conduct research in priority areas of the department and the government,” said AQD Chief Dan Baliao.

 

Challenge towards more progress

Gongona also challenged AQD to develop programs and projects that could make the country progressive.

“Come up with research, technologies or even policy recommendations and you can expect the support of the government,” he said.

Ms. Marnelie Subong of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research suggested the continuation of refining the culture and feeding technologies by expanding and updating the socioeconomic analysis of each technology and to include it in the training courses. She also requested for AQD to develop more modern technologies in fish diagnostics to make disease detection more convenient to fish farmers.

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