Press Release
April 4, 2013

Cayetano: Ayungin can increase fishermen's income

Senator Alan Cayetano wants to promote ayungin to help boost the income of the fisherman of Laguna.

Cayeteno met with fisherfolk of San Pedro, Laguna yesterday as part of his Listening Tour where the discussion led to the possibility of using ayungin to help boost the Laguna fishing industry. "In my earlier discussion with the fisherfolk of the 1-Lambat partylist, they assured me that this kind of fish could thrive in these waters," he said.

According to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the ayungin or silver perch is one of the most expensive fish in the Philippines and is usually found in Laguna de Bay, the Taal Lake in Batangas, and the Naujan Lake in Mindoro. The average price range is P200 to P800 per kilo when dried and around P300 fresh or more depending on the weather and season. The fish is now rarely seen in the market and the demand is very high since locals find it to be the tastiest fish among all the edible native freshwater species despite its small size.

Cayetano also cited the Department of Science and Technology's (DOST) initiative to boost the dwindling population of the country's fish as a prime example of how the government can aid fisherfolk in raising ayungin.

"DOST has a project called the Fish Ark Philippines and through it the University of the Philippines - Los Banos (UPLB) has succeeded in the induced spawning and larval rearing of ayungin. It is my hope that in future, they can start a program where they provide farmers with ayungin to raise for their livelihood," he said.

On a personal note, the senator recalled how his father, the late Senator Rene Cayetano, used to love eating ayungin. "I myself love eating dalag. But I fear that if we don't take care our fisherfolk and this industry, we will lose these treasures of our country to extinction," he said.

Cayetano reiterated his commitment to helping fisherfolk increase their income. "We are an archipelago and as such surrounded by water yet our fisherfolk are some of the poorest in our country," he said. "We need to urgently take measures to help boost their income and help create better lives for them and their families."

News Latest News Feed