Cabadbaran city: A government investment through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources' (BFAR) Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency (FishCoRe) Project has resulted in over PHP1 million in sales for a fisherfolk group in the Caraga Region this month.
According to Philippines News Agency, in 2025, the Kauswagan Fisherfolk Association (KFA), consisting of 24 members in the coastal village of Kauswagan, Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte, was granted a PHP1.8 million FishCoRe project. This project included the installation of a 10-meter Norwegian high-density polyethylene (HDPE) cage at the Cabadbaran Mariculture Park.
KFA chairperson Jerry Dejarmi expressed the significance of the HDPE cage, stating, "The HDPE cage from BFAR is a big factor for us. Its technology is appropriate and helped us in our bangus production project." The group also received approximately 15,000 bangus fingerlings from BFAR-13 (Caraga).
Dejarmi emphasized the group's contribution, saying, "The counterpart we provided to the government support was our efforts to make this project succeed and profitable." He highlighted the dedication of the members who worked continuously to maintain their HDPE cage despite challenging weather conditions.
The group's recent harvest yielded 6.6 metric tons of bangus, resulting in PHP1.062 million in gross sales in Surigao City. The large-sized bangus were sold at PHP168 per kg, medium-sized at PHP150 per kg, and small-sized at PHP140 per kg.
Angelica Ranque, a member of the association, expressed her satisfaction, stating, "I witnessed the harvesting, and I was glad that all our efforts had paid off." She also acknowledged the government's support in improving their lives.
Dejarmi noted that the fish-caging project has reduced frequent sailing among fisherfolk, preventing overfishing, and allowing them to concentrate on the HDPE project since last year. He urged fellow fisherfolk in the province to register with the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture and engage BFAR for collaboration and support.
BFAR-13 stated that the FishCoRe Project is part of the Modern and Resilient Livelihood Investment (MARLIN) 2.1 component, aiming to enhance aquaculture practices and infrastructure for greater productivity and resilience in fishing communities. The KFA's bangus harvest has provided a direct income source for its members, supported the region's fish supply, and reinforced mariculture as a viable intervention for local fishing communities.
