 Agriculture Secretary Proceso J.Alcala (right) holds a blue crab (portunus trituberculatus), which is being propagated by the Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) at its newly-established blue crab hatchery in Baler, Aurora. When fully operational, the hatchery can produce 500,000 to 1 million crablets monthly to be distributed to fishermen for them to culture in four to six months. Excess production of crablets will be stocked in municipal waters for the benefit marginal fisherfolk in Aurora. Sec. Alcala has instructed the DA-BFAR to put up similar hatcheries near coastal areas, where blue crabs are abundant, to provide livelihood and income to small, marginal fisherfolk and their families. Also shown (from left) are Wilfredo Cruz, BFAR Aurora station chief and blue crab project leader, BFAR national director Malcolm Sarmiento, Jr., BFAR-MCS group head Dr. Alma Dickson, and BFAR Region 3 director Remedios Ongtangco. (PIA/DA Information Service) |