Assessment and Evaluation of Aquaculture Practices in Ilocos Sur

Abstract

This study aimed to conduct an impact assessment and evalution of aquaculture practices in Ilocos Sur. It tried to determine the socio-demographic and economic characteristics of the respondents, the aquaculture status, and the level of assessment and to identify the problems in aquaculture. One hundred-eight fish farmers served as respondents. Six were taken from every coastal municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur. On the socio-demogrphic characteristics of the respondents, majority of the fish farmers were made (90.74%), most were within the age bracket of 35-44 (25%) and 81.48% were married, 49.07% had 3 to 4 children and three to four dependents (47.22). On the educational attainment of the respondents, most of them were high school graduates (29.63%). On the socio-economic characteristics, majority of the fish farmers (55.35%) had a monthly income below P3,00.00 from fishing. Aside from fishing farming was considered as another source of livelihood. Most of the respondents had permanent bungalow type houses and declared the income derived from fishing as sufficient to support their families. Most of the fish farmers owned radio, electric fan, and television. On the status of aquaculture methods, most of the fish farmers utilized fishponds for aquaculture, did not use pesticides to eradicate pests and predators, and applied fertilizer by means of the broadcast method. Most of the fish species were stocked at 20 pieces/m2. Feeding the fishes with commercial feeds attained than highest percentage at 83.33%. Majority of the respondents adopted 3% of the toal body weight given as food to the culture organisms. Freshening of water in the pond was done depending upon the condition of the water. As to the method of harvesting the stock, majority used the partial harvest method means of the gill net. On the extent of distribution of the product, majority sold their harvest through retail. On the equipment for aquaculture farming, majority used and owned a generator. Tilapia was the dominant species being cultured (87.04%), followed by milkfish (51.83%), and siganids (37.96%). Ponds were seldom prepared by majority of the fish farmers; fish acclimatization before stocking was occationally done (x = 3.26), stocking in the early morning was preferred by more respondents (x = 3.56) since the temperature is more favorable for the fishes, and stocking in the late afternoon was less preferred by the fishpond owners; management of the pond was seldom practices; harvesting of fish was done in due time; and fish sorting, handling and marketing were seldom practices. High price of feeds, lack of extension services, laxity in the enforcement of fishery laws; lack of aid from government agencies; and unfavaroble environment were considered by fish farmers as very pressing problems. More financial assistance should be gtiven by concerned governement agencies and non-government agencies to augment/ improve the fish farmers' livelihood. Fishery laws should be strictly implemented by the government. Further study on the economic impact of the aquaculture practices of fish farmers in the Ilocos Region should be conducte.