Published July 5, 2021, 2:17 PM
Amid the current restiveness of Taal Volcano, fish pen operators and fisherfolk operating in Taal Lake were prompted to issue a statement assuring the public that their tilapia catch is safe for consumption.
This is to avoid the same scenario during last year’s eruption when fish pen operators and fisherfolk in the area were badly affected by misleading food safety advisory coming from the Department of Health (DOH).
“The phreatic explosion doesn’t affect tilapia. The debris fell only within surrounding areas of the island while sulfur dioxide only affects plants. Moreover, fish do not consume ash from the volcano,” Nestor Natanauan, president of Taal Lake Aquaculture Alliance Inc., (TLAAI), said in a statement on Monday.
Published February 18, 2021, 1:45 PM
With pork and chicken prices in Metro Manila markets still relatively high, consumers are assured of enough supply of fish, which could fulfill the metropolis’ demand for an affordable source of protein.
In a statement, Asis Perez, convenor of food security advocacy group Tugon Kabuhayan, said that even with Taal eruption last year, fish cages in Taal Lake only sustained minor damage. Thus, the abundance of tilapia supply.
Asis Perez, convenor of Tugon Kabuhayan
“Our group is confident of meeting growing demand. We have plenty of Tilapia in Taal Lake and other fish grow out areas in the country,” Perez, who is the former director of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), said.