BAGUIO CITY, Sept. 24(PIA) - - The Fish Conservation Week celebration from September 14 to 18 highlighted the role of fish farming in increasing the availability and sufficiency of food supply especially in this time of pandemic.

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources- Cordillera (BFAR - CAR) Regional Director Lilibeth Signey said the 57th annual celebration of FishCon Week carried the theme, "Karagatan ay Pangalagaan Upang Ani at Kita ay Makamtan Maging sa Gitna ng Pandemyang Hamon sa Bayan". This conveys the message that despite the challenges brought about by the COVID - 19 pandemic, we should remain steadfast in protecting fisheries and aquatic resources as source of bountiful harvest and high income for our fisherfolks, which primarily depends on the health of the seas.

For the Cordillera which is a landlocked region, emphasis is given on the development of inland fishery resources which face threats from illegal fishing, overfishing, pollution, siltation and overutilization of water System, Signey said.

BFAR led the conduct of lectures on the minimum requirement of Good Aquaphonics Practices and distributed Solar - Powered Urban Aquaphonics System to several beneficiaries in different provinces in the region.

Through the Agriculture Department's School on the Air Program, BFAR personnel discussed Tilapia Culture in Earthen Ponds and Rice Fish Culture. Also tackled in radio programs in various parts of Cordillera are provisions of Republic Act 10654 or the Fishery Code of the Philippines that are applicable in the region.

Various fish and agricultural products were also showcased and sold through the KADIWA sa BFAR - CAR Agri - trade fair last September 15.

Through the different BFAR provincial offices, clean - up drives were conducted in Marag River in Apayao, Ambalanga River in Benguet, Lake Tufob in Mountain Province, Magat Dam in Ifugao and in the Andarayan - Santor and San Francisco Small Water Impounding Projects in Kalinga.

Miss Earth Philippines 2020 Roxanne Allison Baeyens, a Baguio girl, also joined BFAR - CAR in the closing program last September 18 to talk about her advocacy on Urban Agriculture.

BFAR - CAR also gave recognition to the National Bureau of Investigation, Police Regional Office- Cordillera and PNP Tuba Benguet for their invaluable assistance in enforcing fishery laws in the region. (JDP/CCD-/PIA CAR)