Clarin Freshwater Fish Farm

Unknown to many but the fishpond operators, the Municipality of Clarin is home to the Regional Freshwater Fisheries Center. The Center is located at barangay Caluwasan and is known to the local inhabitants as the Clarin Freshwater Fish Farm.

The Farm produces GET Excel (Genetically Enhanced Tilapias for Excellence) Tilapia fingerlings and broodstock, a new tilapia strain proven to be far superior to other breeds developed by the government for entrepreneurial livelihood projects in support to aquaculture for rural development.

The GET Excel Tilapia is a new breed developed by combining improved breed of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) using within family selection and rotational mating scheme.

This new tilapia breed is for freshwater culture and promises a substantial increase in production and gross revenue for fish farmers with an advantage of 38.12g in growth and 10% increase in survival compared to past commercial strains.

The tilapia fingerlings and broodstocks are distributed under the flagship project “Nationwide Dissemination of GET EXCEL Tilapia” initiated by the Department of Agriculture. The project involves the replacement of the “old tilapia breed” available in the country with the latest improved breed of tilapia.

Implementation of the said project is now through the National Institutions, to wit: the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) through its Nationa Freshwater Fisheries Technology Center (NFFTC), the Central Hatcheries, Provincial/Municipal Hatcheries and Certified/Registered Private Hatcheries.

The Clarin Freshwater Fish Farm is one of the Central Hatcheries which serves as a Regional Broodstock Center (RBC). The regional centers are the main recipients of parent population from the National Broodstock Center (NBC). By applying the recommended broodstock management system, the RBCs undertake the mass production of tilapia fingerlings which are sold to certified/registered private hatcheries as their parent stock.

The RBCs also mass-produce fingerlings for grow-out operators. To guarantee the proper distribution of fingerlings, RBCs are also engaged in market assistance/referral to certified/registered private operators. They are also involved in the evaluation of proposed hatchery operators/multipliers applying for registration as certified private hatcheries.

Since its inception on June 5, 2003, the Clarin Freshwater Fish Farm has successfully produced GET Excel Tilapia fingerlings and broodstocks and distributed them to certified or registered private operators in Region VII.

The biggest delivery so far of the Farm was of 550,000 GET Excel fingerlings to the province of Negros Oriental by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). The fingerlings were turned over by Mr. Andres M. Bojos, BFAR Assitant Regional Director and Mrs. Anecita L. de la Peña, chief of the Fisheries Extension Training and Communication in BFAR-7.

The fingerlings were then distributed to the fish farms in East Balabag, Valencia, Tanjay City, Maslog, Sibulan and Bayawan City along with the Barangay Agricultural Development Centers (BADC’s) in the province and will be utilized by the Farmers Field School on Tilapia.

The Clarin Freshwater Fish Farm’s on-going project is the production of quality GET Excel Tilapia fingerlings and broodstocks. Gearing for expansion, the Farm will construct at least 5 units of additional breeding pond, concrete nursery tanks, closed-type water reservoir and will improve the main water supply pipes.

What are Tilapias?

Tilapia is a fish. In the Philippines, tilapia ranks second to milkfish (bangus) as the most important fish food that is cultured for mass domestic consumption. The Philippines ranked the 4th largest producer of tilapia world aquaculture in 1998 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Asia leads the world on tilapia production with China, Thailand, Egypt, and the Philippines as the major producers.

Reference: Melchor M. Tayamen, Nationwide Dissemination of GET Excel Tilapia in the Philippine, National Freshwater Fisheries Technology Center, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

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