MANAGEMENT OF BRACKISHWATER PONDS
Principles of pond management are not different from principles used in the management of any other business for profit. While it may be the goal of the government to increase the production of fishery products, it also follows that if the increase is to be accomplished by the private sector there must be sufficient profit to stimulate further production. Better management increases profit; naturally, increased production of fishery products follows.
The Philippines has been a traditional leader in brackishwater fishfarm management. However, only Taiwan has a higher average production of bangus. Taiwan produces more bangus for two reasons: i) retail prices are higher in Taiwan, and ii) management is more intense. An exact duplication of the Taiwanese method of bangus culture is not economically possible because Filipinos may not accept net marked fish which commands a lower price. Filipino fish farm managers generally think of bangus fry as being plentiful, if not unlimited, which leads to wasting a sizeable portion of that natural resource. Taiwanese fish farm managers pay five to ten times as much for fry, and therefore take special care to see that they buy only what they need. The Taiwanese are careful in handling and rearing fish from fry to harvest to achieve the highest rate of survival possible.
These ideas can be adapted to brackishwater production in the Philippines. Our goal is to teach people to produce more at a lower cost. We must make every effort to use the resources of the Philippines in such a manner that fisheries production will meet the increasing demand at a price people can afford.
