Tabogon fishermen haul 185 kilos of fish using BFAR's 'Lambaklad'

CEBU, Philippines — A fisherfolk association in Tabogon town, northern Cebu became the latest recipient of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-7’s net fish trap project called “Lambaklad.”

The bureau turned over the installed lambaklad, an active set net fish trap, to the marginal fishermen who are members of the Kilusang Pagbabago-Taba-ao, Tabogon Chapter.

It was the 10th such lambaklad to be installed and turned over by the BFAR-7 to chosen beneficiaries.

Florencio Aparri, BFAR-7 fisheries production and support services division chief who spearheaded the ceremonial turnover, said the bureau intends to respond to the needs of the marginal fishermen despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement, Aparri said that one of the project’s objectives is to uplift the living conditions of small-scale fisherfolk by providing them livelihood intervention.

After the turnover, the members of the association installed the huge set net to complete the lambaklad structure located in the waters off Barangay Taba-ao.

Their haul from their maiden operation last Thursday? At least 185 kilograms of fish catch including rabbitfish (kitong), banak, trevally (mamsa), among others.

Joel Lutao, the project’s focal person and head of BFAR-7 capture fisheries section, said that the project costs around P1.5 million. The budget was earmarked under the bureau's Targeted Actions to Reduce Poverty and Generate Economic Transformation (TARGET) program with the assistance from the Cebu Provincial Fishery Office.

The local government of Tabogon also shelled out a budget for the purchase of food and fuel used in the entire duration of the orientation and construction from April 12 to May 11.

Tabogon acting administrator Fritz Lim hopes that the members of the fisherfolk association themselves will do their best to manage the project considering that they are the ones who stand to benefit from it.

BFAR-7 said the program seeks to alleviate the poverty status in targeted fishing communities by providing comprehensive livelihood packages, including skills development training. — JMD (FREEMAN)