The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Davao (BFAR-11) has intensified its efforts to help hito and tilapia farmers in Davao City minimize the possible effects of El Niño on their livelihood.
BFAR-11 said once El Niño arrives, it will allocate a portion of the fishpond as a reservoir so that when the time comes that the fishpond experiences water loss, there will still be water supply available.
“Pag-moabot na gyud ning El Niño, mag allocate ta og part sa ilahang fishpond nga pwede nato himuong reservoir para pag-moabot ang time nga kinahanglan na nato gyud sa fishpond atoang mabutangan dayon,” BFAR-11 Fisheries Production Section Officer-in-Charge, Jester Namuag, said.
The agency also urged fish farmers to follow suggested aquaculture practices to prevent fish kills.
“Kasi yong iba nag-o-overstock. Once may overstocking, ang ma- compromise dyan ay ang dissolved oxygen since madami ang stock mo so maraming isda ang nangangailangan ng dissolved oxygen. Pag mawala ang dissolved oxygen - kaya maghangla ang isda - timailhan nga wala nay oxygen, mao nay cause mamatay sila,” Namuag added.
Because of the extreme heat experienced in the city, hito and tilapia farmers have expressed concern over the possible impacts of the drought.
Some farmers reported that water levels in their ponds have been declining due to the intense heat.
“Kuan man unta diri kanang daghang tubod pero nangawala ang mga tubod tan-awa hinay na kaayo kung maalala ang tubod hinay na kaayo unsay epekto sa tilapia, sa tilapia mamatay kay wa nay tubig,” a resident, Jesyl Usong, said.
“Ang worries nako mamatyan nasad ko. Ang akong capital nga gi-invest, di basta-basta; ginapakaon gud na nimo twice a day, P100 per kilo,” hito/tilapia farmer, Myrna Matas, added.
State weather bureau PAGASA said the possibility of experiencing El Niño in June has increased, which could dry up land and reduce water sources.
“Noong previous month, April, halos buong bansa nakaranas po tayo ng below normal rainfall condition. Inaasahan po sa susunod na buwan ‘yung above po na normal rainfall condition, hindi po natin ma meet yon,” PAGASA Davao Weather Specialist II, Alan Ray Ribo, said.
