The supply of Malaga fish in Ilocos Norte province got a boost through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) typhoon rehabilitation and recovery program, thus ensuring the recovery of calamity-hit coastal communities.

Vanessa Abegail Dagdagan, BFAR senior aquaculturist, said the Ilocos Region is known as among the growers of Malaga, known internationally as Siganid or Rabbitfish.

Due to advances in technology, Malaga can now be cultured in cages or ponds.

Dagdagan said the cultured variety can be harvested in five to six months when the fish has already reached a marketable size of 200 grams to 300 grams per piece and can be sold at an average price of PHP310 per kilo.

“It is a promising commodity due to its meat quality and taste,” she said.

On Friday, BFAR distributed 40,000 Malaga fingerlings to the 54 fish cage operators in Barangay Gaang, Currimao town, the initial batch of recipients whose businesses were ravaged by Super Typhoon Egay and Typhoon Falcon, which slammed the country consecutively in July and August, among other tropical cyclones.

On Tuesday, 32 fish cage operators from Paoay town will receive between 500 and 1,000 pieces of Malaga fingerlings.

To avail of the program, Dagdagan said affected operators may enlist through the municipal or city agriculture offices.

According to BFAR, Ilocos Norte has around 39 hectares of potential aquaculture areas for brackish water that is fit for Siganid culture. (PNA)