Nueva ecija: The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Thursday launched an on-farm verification trial to promote the aquaculture industry and help raise farmers' profits in Nueva Ecija. DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led the ceremonial stocking of Australian redclaw crayfish to test its commercial viability.

According to Philippines News Agency, the government aims to not only boost crop production in the province but also to increase farmers' income by exploring aquaculture opportunities. The DA Secretary emphasized that with good aquaculture practices and biosecurity measures, redclaw crayfish farming could significantly transform fish farming in the Philippines.

While Nueva Ecija is primarily known as the country's main rice producer, the DA is looking to diversify its agricultural output by introducing high-value species like redclaw crayfish. Approximately 14,000 craylings were released for the trial, which is expected to run for four to five months. The trial will test two stocking densities-10 and 15 crayfish per square meter-across four ponds in the province.

The DA-BFAR will assess various factors such as survival, growth, feeding, and financial returns to evaluate the commercial viability of crayfish. If successful, the BFAR plans to launch full technology demonstrations and develop protocols to train farmers for wider adoption in other suitable regions.

The initiative is supported by BFAR's prototype hatchery at the National Freshwater Fisheries Technology Center, which currently houses 30 female and 10 male breeders. These breeders, along with 200 future breeders, are expected to produce up to 5,000 craylings per cycle, over three to five cycles annually. Additionally, 300 craylings are designated for tank-based trials.