Laguna de Bay to open 1k hectares for aquaculture to bring down bangus price | ABS-CBN

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Laguna de Bay to open 1k hectares for aquaculture to bring down bangus price

Laguna de Bay to open 1k hectares for aquaculture to bring down bangus price

Jervis Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

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MANILA - More than a thousand hectares of the Laguna de Bay will be opened to aquaculture in a bid to increase production of bangus, the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) said on Friday.

"Ang carrying capacity ng lake ay 9,200 hectares for captive fishing. Meron kasing areas doon na hindi occupied," said Engr. Jun Paul Mistica, department manager of the LLDA.

"Ang move ng LLDA is to open yun para sa mga willing, interested, at may capability to engage in the aquaculture business," he added.

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Mistica said it would help fishery production from the lake, which is being eyed as a major food source for Metro Manila and neighboring regions.

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"In that way, dadami ang food production sa Laguna Lake, dahil yung more than a thousand hectares, mapupuno ng isda. So makakatulong ito sa food production natin," he said.

"Nasa tamang season tayo ngayon. Tamang tama, lalaki yung isda, darating El Nino, marami tayong isda," Mistica added.

The Department of Agriculture earlier said it would take steps to boost food production at the lake so it can be a main source of fish.

The LLDA said the unutilized spaces will be opened for interested parties in the coming months, but it may take some time for investors to setup their aquastructures.

Most of the unused spaces that will be opened are on the western corridor of Laguna Lake, which is near the Pasig River.

Once opened, LLDA expects growth in production volume of bangus, therefore reducing its current market price.

"Yung hope na maging P50 to P70 pesos per kilo ang bangus, achievable yan," he said.

"Baka hindi ma-attain bigla bigla pero unti unti marereduce," Mistica added.

The LLDA said bangus is not naturally occuring in the lake.

"Ang endemic species natin which is bangus, ay hindi talaga endemic sa Laguna Lake. Introduced lang ito. It came from the sea, from the coast," he added.

LLDA said they are expecting minimal effects of El Nino.

"Kahit bumaba ang Laguna Lake, nacocompensate naman sya kasi connected naman ito sa Pasig River at sa Manila Bay," he said.

LLDA said that based on their previous historical data, around 80% of milkfish in Metro Manila comes from the lake.

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