DAGUPAN’S OYSTERS ARE BACK IN RIVERS

DAGUPAN CITY – The city’s oysters though relatively small are back in the rivers.

This was confirmed by Mayor Belen T. Fernandez in a talk with the local fisherfolks in Lucao in her recent trip in the rivers, accompanied by Marjorie Villanueva of the City Agriculture Office.

“Our oyster are back and I am glad that the black mussel is gone,” said Fernandez giving credit to the efforts exerted by the City Agriculture Office and the Bantay Ilog Task Force in cleaning the rivers from the remnants of abandoned bamboos and fishnets left in the river bed.

Villanueva disclosed that from the time they started clearing the rivers they were able to remove 369 structures already as of February 28.

“It’s inspiring to note that because of what we have done in cleaning the rivers; our oyster industry is again back. We will continue and we will never stop in cleaning our rivers,” promised Fernandez.

Fernandez added that the city will soon implement the zoning system in the city’s rivers where there will be areas for oyster rafts, fish cages, among others.

“We are going to set aside some P2 to 3 million to help our small fisherfolks establish their oyster farm. And we hope that other fisherfolks will follow our zoning system so we could maintain the biodiversity of our rivers,” said Fernandez. (Joseph C. Bacani/CIO/March 8, 2017)