By Marilou L Cenas

Bonifacio, Misamis Occidental (May 7) —A partial emergency harvest of Bangus (milkfish) was successfully conducted in one of the pond culture projects of the Baybay United Fisherfolk Association (BUFA), under the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program Phase 2, following incidents of fish mortality caused by sudden weather changes.

According to BUFA president Farncisco Tibong, the emergency harvest was prompted by observations of dead fish, attributed to “ayaay” (overturning of water layers) due to extremely hot weather followed by a sudden heavy downpour. 

In response, the group unanimously decided to proceed with a partial emergency harvest to prevent further losses and recover part of their investment.

Out of the projected 5,000 pieces of bangus to be harvested, the aquafarmers still managed to harvest approximately 3,031 pieces, with an average body weight of 333 grams.

The Bangus stocks had been cultured for three months, during which the association utilized 17 bags of starter feeds and 108 bags of grower feeds. Originally, the full harvest was scheduled for June. However, the unforeseen situation required immediate action.

Despite the setback, the early harvest still proved to be a strategic move, with 486.5 kilograms of Bangus sold to buyers from Barangay Baybay and an additional 796 kilograms bought by a bulk buyer from Migpangi, Bonifacio, for delivery to Bacolod City.

The harvest resulted in a total sale of P131,060.00, demonstrating a successful engagement with both local buyers in nearby communities and a regional market.

This initiative helped the association mitigate the effects of the environmental challenge but at the same time allowed them to partially recover operational costs, thereby sustaining the livelihood activity supported by the SAAD Program.

Lastly, the incident demonstrated resilience among fisherfolk, highlighting the importance of adaptive management practices in aquaculture, especially in light of changing climate patterns affecting small-scale fish farmers in rural areas.