by Rollin Dave M. Elloren

TUBOD, Lanao del Norte (Nov. 4) – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 10 (BFAR-10), through its Enhanced Philippine Seaweed Development Program (EPSDP), spearheaded a Seaweed Stakeholders’ Forum to address the pressing issues, trends, and concerns facing seaweed producers in Northern Mindanao.
Around 70 seaweed farmers coming from the provinces of LDN, Misamis Occidental, and Misamis Oriental convened to engage in this collaborative discussion.
โI encourage everyone to see this not as a time for shyness or hesitation in expressing your suggestions. This is an opportunity to share ideas, concerns, and expertiseโan opportunity to collaborate openly and constructively, so that we can address the challenges we experienced,โ Ibrahim R. Sanggoyod, BFAR-10โs Seaweed Focal, emphasized to the participants.
Meanwhile, BFAR-10 Fisheries Production and Support Services Division (FPSSD) chief Marlou Fernandez expressed his gratitude to the participants for their time and effort in attending the forum, further stressing that their presence would help identify key issues affecting the seaweed industry and generate solutions that would benefit all stakeholders involved.
โWe are grateful for your presence. Your experiences, practices, and the challenges you’ve faced will provide valuable insights to help us understand the reasons behind the decline in our production.โ
Fernandez added that the inputs provided during this consultation forum are crucial to the planning process of BFAR-10 for the redevelopment of our seaweed program here in region 10.
As transpired, based on the Philippine Statistics Authorityโs (PSA) data on the Philippine seaweed production trend from 2018 to 2023, Region 10 experienced a 97% decrease, from 32,179.84 metric tons in 2018 to 988.84 metric tons in 2023.
One of the primary concerns raised during the forum was the declining productivity among seaweed farmers in the region, with factors such as climate change, water pollution, seaweed diseases, and the lack of financial support for their production were identified as significant contributors to the challenges faced by local seaweed producers.
Additionally, farmers expressed the need for better access to markets, which would allow them to expand their reach and improve their income.
In response, BFAR-10 outlined various support, including technical assistance, inputs and materials, access to training on sustainable farming techniques and post-harvest activities, as well as the construction of a seaweed tissue laboratory to enhance research and address common diseases.
Ultimately, the bureau remains committed to supporting the regionโs seaweed farmers through the full and timely implementation of the EPSDP, aiming to create a sustainable and globally competitive seaweed industry. (RDE//BFAR-10)














