The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region 10 established an emergency response strategy to protect coastal and inland fisheries from harmful algal blooms and El Niño impacts across Northern Mindanao.
BFAR Region 10 Production Division Chief Vianney Anthony Abella Gapuz stated that continuous high temperatures increase marine environmental risks, prompting heightened surveillance of harmful algal blooms and targeted assistance for over 10,000 registered fisherfolk in Bukidnon.
Gapuz highlighted active monitoring at the Balingasag Mariculture Park in Misamis Oriental and fish pen operations in Panguil Bay to secure regional fish supplies, adding that free tilapia fingerlings are available for small-scale fishpond operators affected by water shortages.
