TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Fish cage operators in Kalinga were spared from major losses caused by the prolonged dry spell after harvesting their fish before water conditions deteriorated, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Kalinga.
While fish farmers in neighboring provinces incurred millions of pesos in losses following the recent fish kill at the Magat Reservoir, BFAR-Kalinga Officer-in-Charge Clifford Fernandez said only minimal losses were recorded in Kalinga because local fish farmers acted early.
Fernandez explained that fish cage operators closely monitored water levels and quality. Once they noticed water levels dropping to a point that could threaten fish production, many immediately harvested marketable fish instead of waiting for conditions to worsen.
According to him, the early harvest allowed farmers to sell their fish before conditions in the cages became critical, preventing a large-scale fish kill in the province.
"Ada ti bassit nga narecord mi ngem haan nga diay ado. Kasi mostly ang nangyari, di kasjay nga nakita dan nga bumassit en diay danom, nagharvest dan nga dagus. Di maawanen diay danom, inapit da lattan. Sunga nu when it comes to damage or losses, ket bassit. Early harvest saved our fish farmers from El Niño losses," Fernandez said.
Magat fish kill tells a different story
Asked by Guru Press Cordillera about the fish kill that affected operators in the Magat Reservoir in Isabela and Ifugao, Fernandez clarified that the heavy losses were not caused solely by deteriorating water conditions.
He explained that most of the fish in Magat were already ready for harvest when the incident occurred. However, because a massive volume of fish had to be harvested simultaneously, traders and buyers could not absorb the entire supply in a single day.
Although some of the harvest was sold and part of it was processed, many fish died before they could be marketed, resulting in significant financial losses.
"Actually, diay nangyari diay Magat Dam, harvestable en dagijay fish da. Kaso lang, diay kinaado na, haan met nga kaya nga magatang nga dagus in a day. Sunga kasjay, they tried to process diay daduma ngem gapos ta haan talaga kaya magatang amin, naabutan natay," Fernandez added.
BFAR extended assistance
Fernandez said BFAR-Kalinga immediately coordinated with fish buyers and traders in Kalinga to help market fish harvested from the affected cages in Isabela and Ifugao.
However, despite those efforts, the volume of harvested fish far exceeded market demand.
"Tinuntulungan mi metlang isuda. Nag-call kami ti amin nga buyers ditoy Kalinga tapno idiay da koma gumatang. Ngem haan da talaga kaya gatangen amin. Ada met funded projects mi idiay. Dagijay fingerlings da ket supported ti BFAR," he said.
Despite the minimal losses recorded in Kalinga, Fernandez said BFAR will continue closely monitoring fish cage operations, particularly during periods of prolonged dry weather, to help fish farmers respond quickly to changing water conditions.
He also urged fish cage operators to immediately coordinate with BFAR whenever they observe a significant drop in water levels or other conditions that may threaten fish production, emphasizing that early intervention remains the best defense against major losses.
For fish farmers affected by the Magat Reservoir fish kill, Fernandez said BFAR remains committed to helping them recover by exploring additional market opportunities for their harvests and providing assistance through the agency's fisheries development programs.
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