The Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Aquaculture Department will culminate its Season-Long Training Course on Milkfish Cage Culture and Harvest for the oil spill-affected Guimaras fisherfolk on March 14 at the SEAFDEC/AQD Igang Marine Station in Nueva Valencia town.

The pilot project, which started in October 8 last year, will end with a harvest and distribution of certificates to trainees from the four barangay beneficiaries of Nueva Valencia.

In July 2007, the Petron Foundation Inc. and SEAFDEC/AQD signed an agreement on a pilot project on milkfish cage culture as a livelihood program for fisherfolk affected by the oilspill, in collaboration also with Citi Foundation/Citi Philippines and the Province of Guimaras.

The closing program will be attended by Nicasio Alcantara, Petron chairman and CEO;  Malu  Erni, executive director of Petron  Foundation Inc.; Sanjiv Vohra, Citi country officer; Guimaras Governor  Felipe Nava; Nueva Valencia Mayor  Alex Araneta; and AQD chief Joebert D. Toledo.

Under the agreement for the P3-million project on milkfish cage culture project, Petron Foundation provided funds for the construction and operation of three fish cages for milkfish culture and one boat amounting to P3.059 million.

The amount of P168,000 has also been set aside for the allowance of a technician and feeders selected from the community. Around P300,000 has been allotted as logistical support to AQD for the training of feeders, technology transfer to beneficiaries, and for the management and supervision of the 12-month project.

AQD, for its part, provided an area in its Igang Marine Substation for the project, help source out beneficiaries and provide on-site training on the culture of milkfish in floating cages, and administer the technical, administrative and financial aspects of the project.*

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