A fisherfolk group in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte, earned Php 1.02 million after marketing six metric tons of bangus from its cage project last week.
The Ata-atahon Fisherfolk Cooperative (A-FISHCOOP), composed of 44 members, received support from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Caraga (BFAR-13) in August 2025 with a Php 1.8 million high-density polyethylene cage at the Mariculture Park in Nasipit.
Genilu Cutas, chair of A-FISHCOOP, said that technical training from BFAR-13 was essential in developing their fish-cage operations.
To enhance their skills, BFAR-13 facilitated exposure trips and hands-on training at fish cage farms in Panabo City, Davao del Norte and Anda, Bohol last year.
Cutas noted that the government’s guidance helped ensure a successful harvest after five to six months of fish farming.
Most of the bangus harvest was sold in Nasipit, nearby towns, and Butuan City.
The cooperative plans to reinvest earnings in 20,000 bangus fingerlings, fish feed, and 2,000 kitong fingerlings, a species that consumes bangus waste and can be co-produced with bangus.
BFAR-13 said the project is part of the Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency Project through its Modern and Resilient Livelihood Investment (MARLIN) 2.1 component, which promotes improved aquaculture practices and climate-smart technologies to increase productivity while reducing climate-related risks.