Seaweed Farmers Search For Greener Pastures (First of Three Parts)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Uly Israel / 01 Nov) - People from the coastal villages tend to flock in the highly urbanized Metro Manila or would sell or mortgage their land to find work abroad in search for their dreams of a decent and comfortable life.

And little did they know that such dreams are within reach even without moving out because there are always opportunities, said Engineer Isidro D. Eijansantos, Jr., a strategic planner from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-Zamboanga City).

But he said opportunities, however, must be exploited to the fullest,

Philippine archipelago with its long shoreline situated near the equator is blessed with a high level of biodiversity of marine life. There is a great treasure that can be unlocked in the country’s marine resources and one of the relatively unexploited treasure chests is seaweed farming – a potential source of wealth that can be replenished with the use of available technology, Eijansantos said.

“With the rich marine resources at our disposal, opportunities abound for everyone to partake in the exploitation of these resources,” he said.

One such opportunity came into being when Dr. Maxwell Doty, a professor of the Department of Botany at the University of Hawaii conducted a research on the natural stock of seaweeds, specifically the Eucheuma variety in the Philippines in 1965, Dr. Sitti Amina M. Jain said in her recently published book, “The Seaweed Industry: Exploring an Alternative to Poverty”.

Seaweeds usually grow in abundance wildly in the southern provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi; these were harvested by fishermen in the areas and sold to traders. As demand grew, stock of fresh and dried seaweeds dwindled in the 1950s and 1960s.

In 1968, researches on seaweed production and propagation were conducted by a team of researchers from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), University of Hawaii and Marine Colloids International, Inc. which led to the introduction of the successful seaweed culture technique in the island provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

In 1972, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu and Zamboanga fishermen started the first Euceuma commercial farms in the country. Then in 1978, seaweed farming expanded to other areas reaching as far as Bohol, Cebu, and the Leyte-Samar area.

Since then, the seaweed industry has been the lifeblood of an estimated 180,000 farmers directly dependent on seaweed culture nationwide. In the Zamboanga Peninsula alone, latest estimates indicate that seaweeds farming alone benefits 24,712 farmers, providing a source of livelihood for over 130,000 people.

The contribution of the industry to peace and development initiatives particularly in the conflict areas in the region including Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and Sulu has been significant, said Dr. Jain, who is also the Assistant Regional Director of DTI-9.

The USAID-Growth with Equity in Mindanao (USAID-GEM) reported that in year 2003 the agency was able to provide livelihood to about 24,000 former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) combatants who venture into seaweed farming.

Dr. Jain said most of the former Muslim secessionists turned to seaweed culture as a means of subsistence, since the vast shorelines of Zamboanga Peninsula offered them the opportunity to engage in seaweed farming and since farming technology was readily available and could be easily learned and adopted.

The seaweeds industry has evolved into a multi-million dollar export business. The industry has spawned an increasing number of traders and exporters. The huge demand for seaweeds –raw dried seaweeds (RDS), semi-processed and refined – in the world market opened up huge potential income for seaweed growers.

In 2001, the Philippines exported 118,460 metric tons (MT) of RDS valued at US $ 131.6 million. The country’s export rose to US $153,2 million of 128,618 (MT) of RDS in 2005.

Indeed, DTI-Zamboanga City and Tawi-Tawi have made seaweeds as top priority product for development and promotion under the One-Town-One-Product (OTOP) program of the Arroyo Administration. Under the OTOP program, players in the production, marketing and distribution of the chosen product get assistance from financing, technical to fiscal incentives from various line agencies of the government.

"Zamboanga City is without doubt an ideal place for seaweed farming for the coastal dwellers," DTI-Zamboanga City said in its primer, a concept paper which focuses on seaweed industry in the city.

"These marine resources gave us unlimited potential, and if used wisely and effectively, will translate to a better quality of living for our people. Seaweed could bring any individual to life full of luxury and comfort due to its lucrative earnings, either fresh or dried,” DTI added.

USES OF SEAWEED

Seaweed is a microscopic algae classified into four classes according to pigment coloring. Most of the red colored seaweeds contain carrageenan which has numerous uses. Carrageenan is a jelly-like substance extracted with alkaline water from red seaweeds. It is used mainly in products that need gelling, suspending, thickening or water holding properties.

In the food industry, carrageenan is used as stabilizer, emulsifier, thickener, and filler and gelling agent for dairy-based products such as cheese, ice cream yogurt, butter, sausages, part thickener.

For the pharmaceutical industry, it is used as cosmetics, capsules, vitamins, bacteria, culturing media, shampoo, lotion cream, lipstick, soap and many more. For the general industry, it is an additive for paper, textile, photo film, toothpaste, shoe polish, fish/meat canner, ceramics, and pesticide and food paste.

Because of its many uses for industrial, pharmaceutical, and food industries, its demand in the world market continues to grow by 5 percent annually, DTI said.

As of 2003, the world demand stood at 5 million metric ton, while the supply gap stood at 2 million metric ton or 40 percent, a huge supply gap to fill, DTI added. (Mindanao Examiner/to be continued)

RP Widens ShellFish Ban Because Of Red Tide Toxin

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 28 Oct) The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has widened a ban on shellfish, initially imposed on Sorsogon bay earlier this month, to seven more areas in seven provinces throughout the country, according to RSOE Havaria alert Saturday.

The widening of the area covered by the ban came as two more children died of shellfish poisoning and 12 other persons were hospitalized here.

In its latest advisory, the BFAR said the other areas affected by the red tide phenomenon are Juan Lagoon in Matnog, Sorsogon and the coastal waters of Milagros, Masbate; Siaton in Negros Oriental; Dumanquillas Bay, Zamboanga del Sur; Balite Bay in Mati, Davao Oriental; Irong-Irong Bay, Samar; and Bislig Bay in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur.

Gil Adora, head of BFAR’s technical services, said in the advisory that shellfish and "alamang" (tiny shrimps) from these areas were not safe for human consumption.

The ban on shellfish from Sorsogon Bay was imposed on October 11 after authorities confirmed the presence of high levels of red tide toxin in its waters. A week before this, three children had died of apparent red tide poisoning.

The latest victims were brothers Mark John, 7, and Judel, 3, Jesalva, who died late Friday night at the Fernando Duran Sr. Memorial Hospital. The victims' five other siblings aged 5 to 14, and their parents, were still under observation in the hospital.

Despite this, residents of coastal villages have continued to ignore the ban on the gathering, selling and consumption of shellfish from Sorsogon Bay.

Serafin Lacdang, head of the provincial fishery section, said coastal residents were still eating "tahong" (mussels) and other shellfish despite repeated warnings. "Many of these people ignore the risks just so they would have something to eat," he admitted. (RSOE Havaria International)

Mindanao Marine Exporters Pass EU Inspection

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Darwin Wee / 27 Oct) - Local marine exporters here have received a "passing mark" from the European Union's (EU) health and sanitary inspection team, following its three-day assessment and evaluation visit, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) regional office here said.

The inspection team, headed by the EU’s Food and Veterinary Office, conducted the evaluation on four seafood companies in Zamboanga City to monitor the compliance of processors of fisheries products exported to European market.

The four companies are Permex Producer and Exporter Corp.; Ayala Seafood Corp., which respectively exporting tuna and sardines; and Bluefin Fishing Corp. and Crustaceans Trading Corp., which are both exporters of fresh and frozen octopus.

Fisheries senior inspector Bedling S. Munap said the team was satisfied by the way local marine exporters were abiding with EU’s Legislative on Food and Health requirements.

"Based on the initial report, the EU's evaluation team gave the four local marine exporters here a passing mark of 'AB'- which means they have all 'partially complied' with Union's food and sanitary policy," Mr. Munap told the Mindanao Examiner.

Along with the positive results of local exporters, the inspection team also gave BFAR's food control program and system high remarks. Munap said the four-man inspection team was divided into two.

The evaluation of marine exporters here was conducted by Luca Farina and micro-biologist experts Armando Manfrin, while the other team members inspected exporters in Davao and General Santos cities.

The Union's 25 member states have required all Filipino seafood companies to have an effective food processing control program.Edgar B. Lim, operations manager of Permex Corp., which has been exporting canned tuna to Europe since 1985, said a "passing mark" from the EU will ensure free flow of trading and will further strengthen marketing access to Union member states.

"The evaluation was very fruitful," he said, adding that the company has already spent more than P50 million for structural renovation and sanitary control since last year in preparation for the inspection.

He said with the recent assessment, some of the unclear requirements of the EU's Regulation on Food Hygiene and Safety was properly explained."We were able to discuss their sanitary requirements point-by-point," he said.

Local marine exporters have expressed confidence that they will pass all sanitary requirements imposed by the EU. George Sy Chua, manager of Ayala Seafood Corp., which produces the brand Mega Sardines, said he was optimistic that they will keep, if not increase and expand their European supply contracts.

"We are confident we will pass the assessment of the EU inspection team. Our processing plant is designed to meet international standards," he said.

He said Ayala Seafood has spent at least P10 million to improve its processing plant and an additional P2 million for maintenance. "Since we gained our export clearance in Europe, this will be our first time to be personally inspected by European officials," he said.

"The evaluation starts from the conditions of the factories' vessels, to onshore plants, to packaging, to storage and transport. They also conducted some laboratory, chemical and microbiological tests," Mr. Munap said. “Even cold storages of factories were also extensively examined.”

The Zamboanga Peninsula region used to have 14 fish processors which were authorized to export to EU, but about 10 firms have been "de-listed" in 2004after it failed to maintain the EU sanitary requirements. Others have opted to cater to non-EU countries, Mr. Munap added.

He said the team submitted a corrective action plan for the fisheries bureau to monitor local marine exporters."The corrective action plan contains some of the points cited by the inspection team which shall be monitored by the authoritative body," he explained.

The BFAR is expected to submit a report to the EU annually or whenever a significant change occurs based on the action plan's time table.

EU, along with the United States and Canada, is considered one of the major markets for marine products in Zamboanga peninsula. (Mindanao Examiner)

BFAR Distributes Hybrid Tilapia Breeders In Mindanao

Tilapia

ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY (Darwin Wee / 18 Oct) – Some 50,000 fingerlings of hybrid tilapia breeders were distributed Wednesday to Zamboanga City and Ipil town in the neighboring provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Sur as part of a government program to promote the newest genetically improved species of the fish.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Western Mindanao said new hybrid called the Brackish-water Enhanced Selected Tilapia or BEST is expected to spawn millions of fingerlings in the next two months.

Virgilio A. Alforque, BFAR regional director, said the dispersal of the new tilapia hybrid breeder is inline with the fisheries program to promote the culturing of tilapia in Zamboanga Peninsula.

He said BFAR also released more than 15,000 fingerlings of the so-called Genetically Enhanced Tilapia or GET in Zamboanga del Sur.

"The tilapia hybrid can grow over a shorter period and attains higher weight as compared with conventional tilapia. It reaches a weight of up to 200 grams in four months," he said.

"This would be followed with a distribution program involving BFAR's outreach stations, local government units, provincial fish nurseries, private tilapia hatchery operators and grow-out fish farmers operating fishponds and integrated fish farms in the following months," he told the Mindanao Examiner.

The dispensing of the breeder is part of the weeklong celebration of this year's Fish Conservation Week, which currently being celebrated nationwide.

The hybrid tilapia breeder which came all the way from the BFAR's National Freshwater Fisheries Technology Center in Nueva Ecija province in Luzon is the newest genetically improved species that can survive in water with high saline content Mr. Alforque said.

He said they would also conduct a series of seminars and trainings on the new tilapia breed to fishermen and fishpond operators in the region.Most of the fish ponds, he said, are currently used for extensive culture of milkfish and prawns.

"This only shows that many fisher folks and fishpond growers in this region are still not acquainted in culturing tilapia and its potential benefits," he said.

Tilapia's meat is presently being processed into fillet and being exported to foreign countries. Its skin on the other hand has also gain recognition as one of the best source of raw material for leather products.

Mr. Alforque said that aside from technical trainings, the BFAR will also assist fishermen on how to market the fish. "The promotion of the hybrid tilapia is just one of many government projects which aimed to help augment income of farmers and fishermen and create more jobs in the countryside," Mr. Alforque said.

He said the BFAR is targeting to increase at least 10 percent annually the total production of tilapia in this region in the following years.Zamboanga Peninsula was able to produce more than 1,200 metric tons of tilapia in 2004, a way to far compared to other regions in the country.

Tilapia or St. Peter's fish is a spiny-finned freshwater fish of the family Cichlidae and native chiefly to Africa and the Middle East.They are economically important as food fishes, both in their native regions and elsewhere, where they have been introduced or are grown on fish farms. (Mindanao Examiner)