The collaborative research project between the DA-National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (DA-NFRDI) and the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center – Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD) produced 1.1 tons of snubnose pompano at the Freshwater Fisheries Research and Development Center (FFRDC) in Butong, Taal, Batangas, on September 3, 2024.

The partial harvest was part of an ongoing joint project, “Grow-out Culture of Snubnose Pompano in Brackish Water Ponds” between the NFRDI and SEAFDEC/AQD, which aims to evaluate growth, survival, and production rate of pompano in brackish water ponds through recommended cultivation techniques. It also aims to assess the economic viability of pompano farming, and subsequently package and disseminate the verified technology to fish farmers.

The harvested commodity was cultured in a brackish water pond with a stocking density of two fish per square meter. After six months of culture, the pompanos reached a marketable average body weight of 380 grams with a farm gate price of P350 per kilo.

The success of the project was made possible through the collaborative efforts of NFRDI Executive Director Dr. Lilian Garcia, SEAFDEC/AQD Chief Dan Baliao, Project Leaders Dr. Maria Theresa Mutia of NFRDI, and Dr. Roger Edward Mamauag of SEAFDEC/AQD, along with Edgar Somblingo and Janice Tambirao serving as technical assistants. ### (John Reymar Badar)