FISHERY livelihood projects worth P4.13 million were turned over to the municipalities of Mabini, Calape, Talibon and Getafe by the Bohol Provincial Fishery Office (PFO) of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Central Visayas (BFAR 7) last October.
Bohol PFO head Candido Samijon said he is hopeful that the provision of fishing gear and other materials to the fisherfolk would spur socio-economic growth in the fishery sector and ensure food security despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
“BFAR wants to equip our fishing communities because these projects will not only help boost their productivity and income, these will also empower them as they can contribute in keeping our fishery production sustainable,” said Samijon in a press statement.
The BFAR 7 earmarked a total of P4,135,345 for the projects, which are funded under the programs Special Area for Agricultural Development (Saad) and Targeted Actions to Reduce Poverty and Generate Economic Transformation (Target).
Distribution
The Bohol PFO distributed the fishery projects to the different local government units in four separate ceremonial activities.
On October 6, 2021, the Mabini Municipal Government was given livelihood projects including fishing boats that amounted to more than P1.088 million. These projects were two units tilapia fish cage, P279,990; two units non-motorized fiberglass boats, P34,400; three units motorized fiberglass boats, P164,226; 27 units oyster culture, P370,980; and 30 units seaweeds grow-out, P239,200.
On October 11, 2021, the Calape Municipal Government received different fishing gear, fishery materials, and fish processing materials that cost more than P467,000: one unit motorized fiberglass boat (22 footer), P62,229; one unit marine floating fish cage, P213,589; one unit bangus processing equipment and utensils, P144,850; two units fish aggregating device (payao), P35,166; and eight units multiple handline, P11,680.
The Talibon Municipal Government accepted P1.15 million worth of fishery and aquaculture-related projects from the bureau on October 20, 2021.
These were two units tilapia floating fish cage, P279,990; 25 units oyster culture, P343,500; 30 units seaweeds grow-out, P239,200 (Saad); and 45 units seaweeds grow-out, P287,775 (Target).
Also on October 20, the Bohol PFO and the Talibon municipal officials formally inaugurated the satellite bangus hatchery, which got a P2 million funding under the BFAR’s Bottom-Up Budgeting project in 2015.
On October 26, 2021, the Getafe Municipal Government was awarded P1.428 million worth of fishery projects, which include a budget of P195,000 for sanctuary rehabilitation.
The other projects were one unit bangus processing equipment, P144,850; one unit bangus floating fish cage, P213,589 (Target); two units bangus floating fish cage, P427,178 (Saad); nine units fish pot, P49,446; 22 units multiple handline, P32,129; and 30 units drift gill net anchovy, P366,300.