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The Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) is a semi-public development agency of the Philippines Government, dedicated to planning and implementation of development plans of the Laguna de Bay region. That region includes the 90 000 ha Laguna Lake. The LLDA requested technical assistance in developing the lake fishery. This report concerns fish culture aspects of the overall fishery studies.

The lake has been extensively studied in the past with respect to its fishery production and aquatic biota. A United Nations feasibility survey on multipurpose development of the lake for water supply, irrigation, land reclamation and fisheries was completed as a contractor study in December 1970 and is currently under review by the United Nations Office of Technical Co-operation. In general, the lake has been found to have high productivity for fish, estimated to be 0.4 t/ha. However, the existing species, which form the bulk of the lake catch, are small and of low market value. These do not represent a good combination to utilize the high level of natural fish food sources available in the lake.

This report recommends that priority be given to development of fish culture in the lake by means of pens, corrals and other lake water type enclosures. The establishment of a fish hatchery and experimental station is found essential for this type of development. The proposed station would produce fingerlings and determine species combinations, rates of stocking, supplemental feed requirements, design of the pen structures and other related problems. Potential economic returns from 5 000 ha of lake enclosures for fish culture are estimated to yield annually 10 000 t of fish and a net income of 7 to 8 million.

The LLDA has already initiated a programme for fishery development through construction and operation of a 40 ha fish corral on the lake at Looc Cove. The Authority is making arrangements for use of the Bay Fishery Station from the Philippine Fisheries Commission as a hatchery and experimental station. An FAO/UNDP Country Programme Project is proposed to assist in this development. The project would extend over a three-year period, beginning in early 1972, at an estimated cost of U.S. $229 400 and local costs of 544 000.