Dignitaries from Saudi Arabia visit AQD

Dr. Anwar Eissa Al-Sunaiher, Aquaculture Department Director of the Ministry of Agriculture of Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA); Mr. Baheej Mohammad Rasem, Fish Farming Center (FFC) Director of Jeddah, KSA were at AQD’s Tigbauan Main Station (TMS) last August 3-7.

Dr. Al-Sunaiher and Mr. Baheej were accompanied by Dr. Felix Ayson, a former AQD scientist and currently the Chief Technical Adviser of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. They visited AQD to learn about its various research programs and to see its research facilities.

On their first day at TMS, they were briefed about AQD’s research activities by Research Division Head Dr. Evelyn Grace Ayson. Specialists on AQD’s research programs, namely Dr. Mae Catacutan (Nutrition and feed development),
Dr. Gilda Lio-Po (Fish health), Dr. Relicardo Coloso (Marine fish), Dr. Fe Dolores Estepa (Mud crab and shrimp domestication), and Ms. Ma. Rovilla Luhan (Seaweed strain improvement) were also present during the meeting.
After the briefing, they were toured to the hatcheries and laboratories.

The next day, the visitors met with AQD’s top management to discuss future collaborations between AQD and FFC. After which, they visited the AQD library and were briefed about its collections and operation.

They also toured AQD’s Dumangas Brackishwater Station and Igang Marine Station during their visit. In addition, they met with Technology Verification and Demonstration Division and Training and Information Division officials headed by Dr. Clarissa Marte and Mr. Renato Agbayani, respectively to have an overview of their activities.