TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan – In an effort to bring in fisheries services right into the doorsteps of fisherfolk in remote areas such in the island municipality of Calayan, Cagayan, the DA-BFAR 2 through the Provincial Fishery Office of Cagayan embarked on a three-day Fisheries Technology Caravan on May3-5, 2023 in line with the annual celebration of the Farmers and Fisherfolk Month.

The technology caravan was conducted in time with the deployment of the Bureau’s floating assets being manned by the Philippine Coastguard to maximize resource utilization and also an opportunity for fisherfolk to feel the presence of the government through the fisheries bureau in far flung areas.

Headed by Regional Director Angel B. Encarnacion among the activities conducted include dispersal of 20, 000 pieces tilapia fingerlings to backyard fishpond owners, an additional 10, 000 pieces was allocated to the island barangay of Camiguin.

Other fisheries livelihood assistance such as giving out of 60 sets of gillnets and 65 sets of multiple handline to benefit 290 fisherfolk in Calayan also took place in the presence of Calayan’s Local Chief Executive Hon. Joseph M. Llopis and other local officials.

In order to take advantage of the opportune time, the team also led the orientation of the Fuel Discount Program and validation of fisherfolk-beneficiaries of the national government’s intervention on poverty-alleviation.

Fisherfolk- recipients of fishing gears were also taught on how to construct and mend their nets during the hands-on training on Fishing Gear Design and Construction led by capture fisheries experts from the Fisheries Production and Support Services Division and the Training Section.

The team also facilitated a briefing on the salient provisions of the amended Republic Act 10654 (Philippine Fisheries Code) and introduced the Illegal Unreported Unregulated Fishing Index and Threat Assessment (I-FIT tool), a science-based approach that encourage community participation to provide the LGU, law enforcers and fisherfolk leaders a clearer understanding on the extent of IUU fishing in the area.

Meantime, RD Encarnacion and Technical team took the opportunity to validate potential areas for fisheries development with focus on aquaculture and possible sites for salt-making ventures.

In attendance during the technology caravan by the sea were Mangingisdang Direktor Rogelio G. Doplito, PFO Jennifer Tattao and a pool of fisheries experts from the Bureau. ###