ANOTHER seaweed nursery has been set up in Zamboanga del Norte, the fourth in the province, to help ensure steady production of both dried and fresh supply.
“The establishment of seaweed farms scattered throughout the province provides a constant supply of seaweed seedling… as it remains one of the most reliable sources of revenue, especially for the province’s marginal fisherfolk,” the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Zamboanga Peninsula regional office said in a statement.
The new nursery, located in the village of Calube in Sibutad town, will be managed by the community’s fisherfolk association.
BFAR-Zamboanga Peninsula said Calube is considered “one of the exclusive suppliers of fresh Kappaphycus striatum, locally known as vanguard, which is primarily used for salads.
The Calube Farfish Association supplies fresh vanguard within Zamboanga del Norte and neighboring Misamis Occidental.
“The establishment of a seaweed nursery will ensure continuous production, and provide an avenue for expansion for the existing seaweed farms in the locality,” BFAR said.
Meanwhile, the annual closed fishing season for sardines in waters around Zamboanga Peninsula starts Dec. 1 and will be in effect for three months.
The fishing ban covers the eastern Sulu Sea, Basilan Strait, and Sibugay Bay, which collectively comprise one of the country’s largest sardines fishing grounds.
“In the last ten years, the implementation of the closed fishing season in the region yielded positive results. In a data monitoring report made by the National Stock Assessment Program in the region, it proved that there is a gradual increase in sardines supply in the peninsula. All these are made possible by a well-defined approach that is science-based and transparent,” BFAR said.
The Zamboanga Peninsula region accounts for about 70% of the country’s sardine production. There are at least 11 major sardine canning companies based in Zamboanga City. — MSJ
