During last week’s budget session of the House of Representatives, Northern Marianas College’s Cooperative Research Extension and Education Service director Ross Manglona unveiled their aquaculture development plan and thanked the lawmakers for recognizing the agency’s effort through House Resolution 17-33.
Manglona told House members that NMC-CREES and its hardworking staff members have never ceased reaching out to the community to develop a sustainable economic activity on the islands.
The publication of “Aquaculture Development Plan 2011-2015” was lauded by House members who unanimously adopted the resolution introduced by Vice Speaker Felicidad T. Ogumoro.
Even prior to the formulation of the development plan during a series of workshops in May 2010, several farmers were already into aquaculture.
Some of those who participated in the workshops were farmers, residents and businessmen who had been raising tank tilapia and shrimp sold every Tuesday and Saturday in Susupe and at the Garapan Fishing Base.
But the completion of the aquaculture development plan, “could not be more timely,” according to NMC-CREES and its partner, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
Aquaculture, according to NMC-CREES and SPC, has great opportunities in the CNMI because there is high demand for fresh fish not only among locals but also among tourists.
The Chamorros, Carolinians and guest workers from the Philippines, China and other Asian countries are accustomed to eating fish including those aquacultured like tilapia and milkfish.
At the same time, visitors from Japan and Korea, the two main tourist markets of the CNMI, have a diet high in seafood commodities.
The commonwealth possesses potentials in aquaculture. These include the “limitless” supply of clean and pathogen-free seawater, access to technology, and “strong political will to diversify the economy.”
The limited and declining inshore fish stocks is also considered as an opportunity.
According to the development plan, the CNMI’s reef areas are not extensive and only a limited number of fish can be caught there sustainably.
There is also an “increasing pressure” on reef resources in the CNMI.
“While the situation is not good, it does represent an opportunity for developing aquaculture,” NMC-CREES and SPC said.
Status
Aquaculture extension agent Mike Ogo introduced this reporter last year to some of the local residents raising tank fish.
These include Inez Guerrero, who has been raising tilapia in her backyard in Finasisu, and John and Carolyn Hosono who have recently built two fish tanks in their front yard in Oleai.
These aquaculture farmers, Ogo said, are doing great in maintaining their tanks and producing quality fish.
For its part, the Saipan Aquaculture in Chinatown is the largest commercial producer of shrimp with 32 concrete tanks complete with re-circulating systems.
Owned by local businessman Tony Pellegrino, the company has been exporting shrimp to Guam. Last year, Saipan Aquaculture began sending shrimp brood stock to Asia.
According to NMC-CREES and SPC, the two other local shrimp producers are based on Rota and Tinian. Right now, another Saipan resident is constructing his own shrimp farm. There are also eight tilapia farmers in the CNMI — five on Saipan, two on Rota and one on Tinian. Almost all of them use the re-circulating system.
NMC-CREES continues to produce fry for those who wish to start their own aquaculture venture.
Just recently, the Commonwealth Zoning Board offered to amend the Saipan Zoning Law to allow aquaculture in village residential areas. The Division of Fish and Wildlife issues permit for importing live aquatic species and collecting juvenile species for aquaculture. The division also issues permit for exporting aquaculture products.
The Department of Lands and Natural Resources was able to get the nod of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in importing pathogen-free animal feed products from the Philippines. The Coastal Resource Management Office and the Division of Environmental Quality issue permits for constructions related to aquaculture development.
