The Laguna Lake Development Authority has increased by 644 hectares the area in Laguna Lake, the country’s largest fresh water lake, that could be used by private corporations for aquaculture.
An LLDA resolution, approved by the agency in late January but published on the Philippine Star only on Monday, has modified the allocation of 9,200 hectares set aside for aquaculture to 53 percent for small fisherfolk and 47 percent for private corporations from the previous allocation of 60 percent and 40 percent, respectively.
The LLDA, an agency under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, announced in January its intention to increase further fish production at the Laguna Lake, which already produces as much a 90,000 tons of fresh water fish a year and provides livelihood to some 13,000 fishermen.
Fish output at the 90,000-hectare lake supports the protein requirements of Metro Manila residents and nearby provinces.
The January resolution, the LLDA said, was discussed with fishpond operators and representatives of private corporations. The agency said the modification of the sharing ratio was meant “to enhance the flexibility and responsiveness of the aquaculture area allocation process in Laguna de Bay.”
It wasn’t immediately clear what the re-allocation would mean in terms of additional fish output from Laguna de Bay.
Also in January, aquaculture associations in Laguna Lake sought the assistance of the Department of Agriculture on the rising mortality of fingerlings in fish pens, minimal introduction of salt water from Manila Bay to increase bangus or milkfish production, and the reintroduction of fresh water.
Commercially-important fish found or grown in the fresh water lake include white goby, mudfish, bangus, ayungin, catfish, kanduli, tilapia and the common carp.
