Batac, Ilocos Norte—With the current promotion of its gender and development (GAD) program, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) launched on April 13 a livelihood training on fish processing which is expected to help local community development.

Attended by housewives, out-of-school youths and market vendors, the one-day seminar aimed to train participants on proper fish handling, smoking and deboning among others.

Resource speakers for the seminar were from the BFAR regional field office in San Fernando City, La Union.

The said activity was also jointly backed by the Ilocos Norte provincial government headed by Governor Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the Batac municipal government spearheaded by Mayor Jesus R. Nalupta.

In a related development, Arthur Valente of the Ilocos Norte BFAR office reported that their agency is currently conducting site validation on the possible areas in the province suitable for the implementation of at least three aquaculture technology namely rice-fish technology, rice-prawn and Bangus with fresh water prawn technology.

Based on the feasibility studies conducted by the BFAR, Valente said Vintar, Laoag and Dingras were identified as possible sites for the said aquaculture projects.

These pioneering sites, when implemented, would serve as technology demonstration projects of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to encourage other personalities to venture in this business later on.

Leilanie G. Adriano