MALOLOS CITY – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Central Luzon predicted that prices of fish will go up when current scare on “botcha fish” wanes.
Fish dealers in the province, especially in the coastal town of Hagonoy, already complained that their sales went down significantly since fishkill was reported in Batangas and Pangasinan.
“Murang mura ang isda sa punduhan, pero hindi naman mabili sa palengke,” said Nimfa Santos, a fish dealer.
Santo’s fellow fish dealers said some of them have temporarily stopped, but other continued because they want to earn more money to send their children to school.
Local fishpond operators are also on the look out for signs of possible fishkill, but BFAR made assurances that it is unlikely.
“Lagi kaming nakamonitor, pero wala namang fishkill sa Bulacan,” said a certain Froilan Alvarado.
Dr. Remedios Ongtangco, director of BFAR in Central Luzon, said bangus grown in fishponds are not easily affected by sudden change in temperatures caused by heavy down pour.
“Fishkill incidence in Batangas and Pangasinan involves fish in cages. Sa Central Luzon, sa fishpond nagpapalaki ng bangus kaya hindi apektado ng sudden change,” she said.
Ongtangco also noted that when the current scare on botcha fish is over, price of bangus is expected to rise.
This was affirmed by Melencio Domingo, head of the Malolos City Agriculture and Fisheries Council (MCAFC) and Gloria Carillo, head of the Provincial Agriculture Office.
Carillo said that fishponds in the province remain safe, while farmers are praying that their fish stocks be spared.
