Bills on establishment of multi-species marine hatcheries approved

The Senate passed today on third and final reading 14 house bills seeking to establish multi-species marine hatcheries in several provinces nationwide.

Senate Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, said the approval of the measures would contribute to the sustainable growth and development of the agricultural and fishery sectors and other allied industries in the respective cities and municipalities where they would be located.

"With the creation of these hatcheries, our people are now assured of a source of food. Also, fisherfolks will be provided with an opportunity to undergo training and improve their productivity," Villar said.

She said 10 of the bills, House Bill Nos. (HBN) 4850, 4851, 4854, 4855, 4857, 4858, 4859, 4860 and 4861, mandate the establishment of multi-species marine hatcheries in various municipalities in Quezon Province.

Three other bills, HBN 4848, 4853 and 4856, mandated the establishment of multi-species marine hatcheries in Bislig, Barob and Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur while HBN 4862 mandated the establishment of a multi-species marine hatchery in Ligao, Albay.

Under the bills, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will construct the hatcheries. Within two years, management will be transferred to the local government concerned after implementing a training and phasing-in program.

"Aquaculture or fish farming is crucial to our food security. Because there is an uptrend in aquaculture globally wherein it provides 63.6 million tons of fish per year, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization predicted that by the year 2050, aquaculture will provide 100 percent of fish globally," Villar added.

Multi-species marine hatcheries cover breeding, hatching and rearing of fishes.