Ilocos Norte, Philippines – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has taken a significant step in boosting the supply of Malaga fish, known internationally as Siganid or Rabbitfish, in Ilocos Norte province. This initiative is part of the bureau’s typhoon rehabilitation and recovery program aimed at supporting coastal communities affected by natural calamities.
According to Philippines News Agency, Vanessa Abegail Dagdagan, a senior aquaculturist at BFAR, explained that the Ilocos Region is renowned for Malaga cultivation, which can now be done in cages or ponds thanks to technological advancements. Cultured Malaga reaches marketable size in five to six months, weighing between 200 and 300 grams per piece, and can be sold for an average price of PHP 310 per kilo. On Friday, BFAR distributed 40,000 Malaga fingerlings to 54 fish cage operators in Barangay Gaang, Currimao town, as the initial batch of beneficiaries. These operators’ businesses were severely impacted by Super Typhoon Egay, Typhoon Falcon, and other tropical cyclones that hit the country. Additionally, on Tuesday, 32 operators from Paoay town are slated to receive between 500 and 1,000 pieces of Malaga fingerlings. Affected operators interested in this program can enlist through municipal or city agriculture offices. BFAR highlighted that Ilocos Norte possesses around 39 hectares of potential aquaculture
areas suitable for Siganid culture.
