Extensive fish research up as city set to take-over fish demo farm
Iloilo's continued propagation and research of its major fish produce and aquatic resources will soon see renewed participation and action from the city government. This, after efforts are underway to take-over the region's fish demonstration farm in a bid pushed by the termination of the 25 year-lease now under the Iloilo Provincial Government's Provincial Agriculture Office.
Located in Molo District, Iloilo City, lease contract for said city government property was entered into in June 1, 1982 with the 25 year-term set to expire on May 30, 2007.
As such, Provincial Agriculturist Zafiro Palabrica wrote last May 4, 2006 to Mayor Jerry P. Treñas seeking for 3 to 5 year extension on the use of a portion of said property placed at about 6,000 square meters. This, Provincial Agriculturist Palabrica explained was due to the Provincial Government's inability to fully relocate by May of next year.
Palabrica said, "expiration of said contract will deprive the beneficiaries and cooperators of the benefits afforded to them by the project." The project referred hereto is the "Freshwater Tilapia Hatchery/Nursery and Brackish Water Demonstration Fishpond Project.
The request was referred to City Councilor Ely Estante, chair of the Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. And in a Chairman's Report before the City Council, Estante disclosed of the City Government's projects geared towards enhancement of its local fishery resources, reason why any extension of lease was dismissed.
To note, Estante said the City Agriculture Office has since sought the nod and got the pre-approval of its crab culture program, seaweeds culture project or the Gracilaria and high-density milkfish production.
"These have been "pre-approved" and formed part the city's" 2006 Annual Development Plan and Annual Investment Program." In fact, implementation of the community-based Crab Culture Project through the City Agriculturist and the BFAR-VI ranked second in the 17 priority projects under the city's Livelihood/Entrepreneurship Development Program," Estante said. "In a nutshell, the project as designed will not only propagate the viability of Crab Culture in terms of Return Of Investment or ROI but serve as validation of an alternative livelihood that is within reach to city's fisherfolks and their families. All we need for this project to take-off is a month in preparation and according to City Agriculturist Parreñas, production is ensured in four months time thereafter. Crab Culture will also bring the removal of obstructions in our river. Seaweed Culture Project on the other hand once implemented brings continuing harvest while High-Density Milkfish Production would use one square meter per milkfish."
As such, Palabrica's bid for more time was denied with Estante saying "It is an opportune time for the pending planned projects of the City Agriculture Office to be realized, implemented and to flourish. This, with the utmost gratitude to our counterparts in the Iloilo Provincial Government for the benefits reaped by the community in its Fishery Programs and research through the use of the City Government property in the past 25 years."