By Zorayda Tecson
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Central Luzon (BFAR-3) has distributed recently seaweed seedlings to an indigenous community in San Luis, Aurora in a bid to boost their livelihood and income.
BFAR Regional Director Wilfredo Cruz said Monday some 700 kilograms of seaweed seedlings produced by the BFAR Technology Outreach Station for Marine Water in Masinloc, Zambales were provided on Sunday to the Indigenous Fisherfolk Association of Dibut in the town as an alternative livelihood option.
Cruz said the seedlings will enable the group members to establish seaweed farms along their coastline that could provide them with a stable source of income.
Likewise, he said seaweed cultivation helps in the restoration and protection of the marine ecosystems by serving as a natural filter, absorbing excess nutrients and reducing coastal erosion.
“By investing in seaweed farming, BFAR does not only assist local communities in improving their economic conditions but also promotes environmental sustainability,” Cruz said in an interview.
Last April, the BFAR-3 also distributed 600 kilograms of seaweed seedlings to fisherfolk in three villages in Aurora.
The recipients are residents of Barangay Dibaraybay in Dinalungan town and Barangays Ditinagyan and San Ildefonso, both in Casiguran. They each received 200 kilograms of seaweed seedlings. (PNA)