Can fish cage operations be economically-viable yet environmentally-friendly and free from fishkills?
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in the Ilocos Region has established mariculture zone projects (MZP) in Sto. Tomas and Rosario in La Union province which will implement strict measures to achieve such visions.
BFAR Regional Director Nestor Domenden said the agency is the co-proponent of the projects along with the towns’ local government units, “thus the BFAR has the authority to implement the fishery policies and guidelines.” 
He explained that in other coastal towns like Bolinao, Anda and Sual in Pangasinan, aquaculture operations are managed by the local government units with the BFAR only giving policies and directions.
“In the MZPs, the BFAR will be fined if there are violations of the Environmental Compliance Certificate issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to the projects. Thus, we will strictly monitor the fishery operations there,” Domenden said.
Rosario Segundina Gaelan, chair of the MZP committee, explained that a mariculture zone is an area in the sea and adjacent land from 100-400 hectares or more, with a communal, storm-resistant morning.
The area is subdivided into individual farm lots for fish cage operations, other marine culture techniques and land-based agriculture, and has infrastructure support facilities, communal fishing ground and navigational lanes.
The MZP follows the industrial estate concept with all concerns addressed, such as infrastructure, capability building, production, marketing and other ancillary industries or additional livelihood like feed suppliers and fingeling suppliers.
Gaerlan said investors who will put fish cages in the MZP and the caretakers will have to undergo a traiing on fish cage management, aquaculture technologies, environmental monitoring and coastal resource management seminars.
The BFAR on the other hand, will extend technical assistance on feeding and culture management and water quality and disease monitoring. “We have studied the water flow in the area and the cages will be arranged in such a way that water flow to the cages will not be hampered,” she explained.
She said while is a mininal rental of the area, the investors are safe because the MPZs are provided with security by the LGU, Bfar and the military.
The MPZs are divided into areas where small, medium and large investors can put their cages. There will also be demonstration areas in both projects.
Its not only bangus (milkfish) that can be cultured in the MPZs. The BFAR recommends high value species like siganid, caranx, seargeant fish, grouper (lapu-lapu), seabass, pomfret (pampano), saline tilapia and red snapper (maya maya). Fishcage operators may also culture crustaceans like lobsters, king crabs, sea urchins, and seaweeds; and shellfish like pearl oyster, oysters, mussels and abalone.
But there is a limit to the number of cages that an investor can put up in the MPZ. “Each investor can put only a maximum of six cages there,” Gaerlan said.