Lagangilang, Abra – Empowering fisherfolk enthusiasts with rightful and science-based knowledge has been part of the bureau’s education and training services to dispel misconceptions about tilapia farming. Training is a crucial step for the bureau to inculcate various technical know-how on fisheries management that will then boost aquaculture productivity and support sustainable livelihoods of fisherfolk. Recently, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – Cordillera Administrative Region (BFAR-CAR) conducted a two-day aquaculture training at the DJ Farm in Nagtuacan, Lagangilang, Abra.
The training was specifically designed for 32 proposed beneficiaries of the Pond Technology Demonstration (Techno-Demo) Project, one of the flagship programs under BFAR’s extension support, education, and training services. Participants were registered fisherfolk enthusiasts who signified interest in tilapia pond culture projects of the bureau who came from the six municipalities across Abra province, Bangued, Dolores, Lagangilang, Manabo, San Isidro, and Tayum.
Said training is a requisite for receiving a techno-demo project as it equips fisherfolk with practical skills and scientific knowledge on how they are going to manage their aquaculture farms. It focused on the Tilapia Grow-Out culture and the basic biology of key freshwater species, including Giant Gourami, Common Carp, Catfish, and Loach.
Resource Person Regino Doctolero II, Officer-in-Charge of Rizal Lowland Fish Farm in Kalinga, shared a comprehensive lecture on freshwater fish biology, pond preparation techniques, natural food management, and appropriate feeding strategies. Apart from the technical knowledge, he likewise corrected common misconceptions about feeding tilapia, such as the belief that bigger fish require more feeding, but negated and explained that smaller or younger ones require higher feeding rates because of their fast metabolism.
Moreover, Doctolero led hands-on sessions, where participants learned how to identify the sexes of tilapia and monitor water quality using tools such as the Secchi disk for turbidity and a thermometer for water temperature. These practical exercises reinforced the importance of maintaining optimal pond conditions to ensure healthy fish growth and maximize yields.
Riza P. Fidchao, Provincial Fisheries Officer of Abra, emphasized the importance of the training and encouraged participants to apply what they have learned to prepare them for the next step, which includes site validation of their proposed pond areas intended for the techno-demo projects.
The two-day activity was hailed a success, not only for strengthening the technical capacities of fisherfolk but also for fostering greater community involvement in BFAR’s sustainable aquaculture initiatives. The annual conduct of education and training is part of the Bureau’s initiative through its Regional Fisheries Training and Fisherfolk Coordination Division (RFTFCD), which leads the implementation of various fisheries-related extension and training services. This is to effectively facilitate the transfer of skills, knowledge, and practices to fisherfolk, LGUs, SUCs, private entities, and other stakeholders in the region.
RFTFCD staff Leo Angeliko Jon Casing, head of the training unit, Nelia M. Raguindin, training staff, and Cristalene M. Banno, PFO Abra staff, led the training events. **V. Mabli BFAR Press Release
