Aquamarine project in Casiguran town continues under the National Convergence Initiatives

by Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, NOVEMBER 21 (PIA)….. Casiguran town Mayor  Maria Esther Hamor in an interview here last week said that the National Convergence Initiative (NCI) programs in her town is now in place and trainings of fisherfolks have been  going on specially in the aquamarine culture technology.

Mayor Hamor said that the careful selection of their beneficiaries was a great consideration since the success of the project depends on the attitude of these beneficiaries, their active participation and commitment to make the project profitable, sustainable and the full cooperation to follow the local government’s fishery rules and policies should be addressed.

“As local chief executive it is my desire to alleviate poverty in our town but at the same time fully implement the sustainable conservation of our environment from land to sea and inland water resources”, she said.

Benigno Bejison, municipal agriculture officer of Casiguran and Gil B. Ramos of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) have conducted the trainings and the identified fishermen from Barangay Somal-ot were provided  the needed materials to include 5 fishnets, 4 bundles of nylon rope, 150 bamboo poles for their crab production.

According to Ramos, BFAR has provided the hands on training to on aqua-silvi culture technology to 61 fisherfolks in the said barangay.

It has also conducted the validation of the site selection process and  most of the areas identified were mangrove area sites , a very good potential for the sustainability of the project.

Demonstration on the actual preparation of the area was done according to Bejison while the construction of crab cages were shown and process of harvesting were also explained.

The topics that were discussed included feeding management of crabs, record keeping, harvesting and post harvest activities, marketing and the continuous monitoring and evaluation of the project.

Ramos said that mud crab production will only take four months to wait and that proper management should be followed so that the quality, quantity and price of the produce will be competitive in the market.

Mayor Hamor explained that the LGU in partnership with the three converging agencies, the Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Department of Agrarian Reform will continually coordinate in the implementation of the NCI projects in their municipality. (PIA-SORSOGON)