BFAR Opens Asian Fisheries Academy
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) recently inaugurated a new building for the Asian Fisheries Academy at the sprawling 20hectare BFAR compound in Bonuan Binloc, Dagupan City.
The Asian Fisheries Academy is a training facility of the BFAR National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) for aquaculture development in the Ilocos Region.
The inauguration of the building coincided with the graduation of the first batch of students in the Academy. Composed of 39 out-of-school youth from the coastal towns of Binmaley, San Fabian, and Dagupan, the initial trainees were trained on oyster farming and other related aquaculture technologies.
Dr. Westley Rosario, NFRDI executive director and BFAR center chief, said at least one international conference on fisheries and aquaculture can be held in the new building every year. The fully air-conditioned facility has a seating capacity of 150 with a cinema style sound system.
The first scheduled international conference in summer this year will be on sea cucumber. It will be held in time with the opening of the BFAR center’s sea cucumber hatchery, another first in the country.
The Asian Fisheries Academy aims to be the leading training center in the Philippines for sustained dissemination of new and improved fisheries technologies including aquaculture post harvest and fishing methods.
