BFAR-7 upskills fisherfolk on fish processing

CEBU, Philippines —  The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has continued to assist its intended beneficiaries of various programs that tend to uplift their livelihood.

Two fisherfolk associations in Tabogon town in northern Cebu which were actually existing beneficiaries of BFAR-aided projects were upskilled on fish processing particularly in making coconut water-treated fish products.

These associations are the Salag Women’s Association and the Kilusang Pagbabago-Taba-ao Chapter.

BFAR-7 in their Facebook post stated that the association members learned in producing fishery products such as bottled bangus sardines in oil, marinated boneless bangus, vacuum boneless bangus, tuna hash and boneless bangus-tocino.

The training program opened with the ceremonial turnover of post-harvest equipment or utensils for boneless bangus by BFAR-7 to the said associations.

The bureau has partnered with Cebu Technological University on the conduct of the value added product development training that was held recently at CTU campus in Barangay Poblacion, Tabogon.

Meanwhile, in the town of Sibonga in southern Cebu, the bureau also assisted the Sibonga local government unit on the proposed establishment of a seaweed nursery in Barangay Abugon.

Technical experts were fielded in the area recently wherein they oriented the seaweed growers about the project and checked on the project site.

The BFAR-7 personnel gave an overview about the project especially on how to manage and maintain the seaweed nursery.

The personnel also visited the area where the proposed facility will be built.

The team was headed by Edgardo Delfin, the chief of the BFAR Cebu Provincial Fishery Office (PFO) and Joel Clapano, the head of the Aquaculture Section of BFAR-7 Fisheries Production and Support Services Division. — GMR (FREEMAN)