ICD-SA training sessions and consultations

Some 27-30 fisherfolk from Nueva Valencia, Guimaras attended the first three sessions of Milkfish cage culture, a season-long training course funded by Petron Foundation Inc. The first session held October 8-9 was on aquaculture practices; the second session, held November 16-17, focused on feed formulation & preparation and fish health management; and the third on December 19-20 was on cage maintenance. All three sessions were held at AQD's Igang Marine Station.

Thirty-six farmers aged 25-74 years old (26 men, 10 women) from three barangays in Dumarao, Capiz came to attend the first and second sessions of Freshwater aquaculture. The first session of this season-long training course was held November 14-15, and covered culture practices, community-based aquaculture, and the construction of floating cages. As the session 1 finale, the trainees stocked their cages with 3,000 pieces of tilapia, 3,000 prawn and 650 catfish. The second session on the other hand was held December 4-5, and covered feeds and water quality.

Meanwhile, for the two provinces in northern Luzon that are negotiating to be made part of ICD-SA, AQD's senior managers met with the various stakeholders, academic & government partners, and local government officials for consultation and initial site assessment. Dr. Clarissa Marte (division head of technology verification and demonstration), Mr. Renato Agbayani (division head of training & information), and Mr. Armando Fermin (program leader of the mollusc program) were in Baler, Aurora on October 22, and in Tuguegarao, Cagayan on October 24-25.

SEAFDEC's dream project on sustainable aquaculture has the main goal of empowering aquatic resource users by providing them knowledge to become efficient managers and prudent users of their resources.