Aquarium fish trade to benefit lake folk

Luzon Bulletin - May  25, 2006

Rizal Provincial Capitol, Pasig City - as the demand for ornamental or aquarium fish in foreign markets increases, the government acts to develop the industry into a major dollar earner for the country. 

An agreement to develop the industry was forged among the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Bioresearch, the country's biggest private ornamental fish producer....

Under the agreement, Bioresearch helps propagate top-quality parent fish stocks for dispersal to interested growers, while LLDA, BFAR and other related agencies are tasked to conduct monitoring, research, promotion and marketing. They will also extend financial assistance to small scale entrepreneurs.

LLDA General Manager Jun Ynares said the project will be implemented under the LLDA community-based livelihood support program, know as "Suporta sa Buhay" (Suhay) through which cooperatives and organizations are given financial support.

Ynares said the cooperatives and organizations are also allowed to use LLDA facilities like its office in Calauan, Laguna for the development of the ornamental fish trade.

A research shows that 20 percent of the total ornamental fish exports from Asia come from the Philippines.

"We aim to be Asia's second or third top ornamental fish producer in the coming years,"' said Domingo Panganiban, secretary of the Department of Agriculture.