CITY OF SAN FERNANDO: The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Central Luzon (BFAR-3) has put up a community fish landing center (CFLC) in Limay, Bataan to help fisherfolk earn a steady income.
In partnership with the local government unit of Limay town, the center which is located in Barangay Wawa, was inaugurated on Thursday in rites led by BFAR-Central Luzon Fisheries Post-Harvest and Marketing Division Chief Stephen Arlo Lapid, Bataan Provincial Fishery Officer Harlyn Purzuelo and other local officials.
The construction cost of the CFLC, equipped with freezers and other tools for fish processing, was pegged at more than PHP3 million.
BFAR Regional Director Wilfredo Cruz said on Friday that the CFLC will house post-harvest equipment and tools that will enable fisherfolk to preserve the good quality of their fish and fishery products, which they could sell for a higher price.
Likewise, Cruz said residents and consumers will also benefit from the fish landing center as they will have better access to safe and quality fishery commodities.
“The center will serve as a hub for landing and trading of fish and other seafood products,” he said in an interview.
He also said the CFLC is the government’s intervention to diminish market channels that make it hard for the fishers to earn more.
“We are putting up CFLCs where they will be managed by the fishermen themselves. Diretso nang bibili yung mga customer sa kanila (Customers will directly buy from them),” he said.
The BFAR official said the facility will also serve as the venue for skills training on disaster-resilient fisheries-based livelihoods and resource management such as monitoring fish catch and stock assessment.
Limay Mayor Nelson David, for his part, thanked the BFAR for its continuous support to the fisher folks.
David said the putting up of the CFLC will be a big help to small fishers and fish vendors as this could ensure the reduction of post-harvest losses.
“Ito ang magiging sentro ng bagsakan ng mga huling isda at iba pang yamang dagat ng ating mga kababayang mangingisda (This will be the center of the landing of fish and other seafood products caught by our fisher folks),” he said.
Source: Philippines News Agency
