NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE        ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
        ) 
First Regular Session        
        ) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
H. No. _____
Introduced by Representative Raul C. Tupas 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A CENTRAL MARINE MULTI-SPECIES 
HATCHERY IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF CARLES, PROVINCE OF ILOILO 
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Northern Iloilo facing the Visayan Sea is considered as the most 
productive fishing ground in the country. Majority of the registered fisherfolk 
at 32,089 or 66% of the total registered fisherfolk in the Province are from 
this area contributing most of the fish production from aquaculture and 
capture fisheries. Major fish produce are blue swimming crab, sardines, 
bisugo, and slip mouth. 
Fisheries need to be sustainably managed in the Province especially 
in Northern Iloilo. With the growing demand for fishery commodities and the 
exploitation of our fisheries resources, there is a need for a sustainable 
management of the resource. Management of the fishery requires a balance 
between socio economic and governance interventions. 
Carles is a second-class municipality in the province of lloilo. It is famous in Panay 
island for its rich fishing grounds. It is the northernmost municipality in the province and is 142 
kilometers (88 mi) from the provincial capital, lloilo City, and 71 kilometers (44 mi) from Roxas 
City. The land area is 11,204.68 hectares while the territorial waters are 367,625 hectares. 
Carles is divided into 33 barangays, 18 of which are island barangays.  
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – Department of Agriculture (BFAR-DA) 
strongly supports the Establishment of a Central Multi-Species Marine Hatchery at Barangay 
Punta, Carles, Iloilo based on conducted feasibility study. The Central Multi-Species Marine 
Hatchery will ensure the sustainable supply of seedstocks such as milkfish, grouper, seabass, 
pompano, mudcrab, shrimps and other finfishes which will ensure continuous production and 
securing livelihoods especially in the aquaculture sector.  
Production from this central hatchery will answer the large gap between the supply and 
demand for milkfish fry and fingerling of the Province and of the Region.  
August 9, 2022
3:30 pm
3408


Supply (pcs)
Demand (pcs)
Gap
74 M
351 M
277 M
Proposed Core Hatchery-
Demand (pcs)
Supply (pcs)
% Market Share
25 M
16 M
63%
Market
Actual Market Estancia
Potential Market
Primary Market
63%
126%
Secondary Market
37%
Source: FS team
Note: M - million
The Central Multi-Species Marine Hatchery will provide the eggs/larvae for the operation
of existing satellite hatcheries in the region. The facility will also ensure the success of the
proposed Mariculture Park in Northern Iloilo with the steady supply of seed stocks. The facility is
also in line with the Bangus Fry Sufficiency Program of the national government and BFAR 6 will
provide necessary support to the realization of a Central Multi-Species Marine Hatchery at
Barangay Punta, Carles, Iloilo.
The estimated investment from the national government is Php 30 M and
the projected income on an annual basis for milkfish, pompano, mangrove crab,
and shrimp are provided below:
Commodity
Annual Gross
Income (Php)
Annual Net
Income (Php)
Expected ROI
PP
(%)
Milkfish
9 million
4 million
15.05
4.84
Pompano
37 million
30 million
112.39
0.85
Mangrove Crab
23.5 million
19.2 million
72.74
1.28
Shrimp
15.3 million
7.3 million
27.66
3
In view thereof, the approval of this Bill is earnestly sought.
7:;"
or
RAUL “BOB
C. TUPAS
The
 
market
 
gap
 
analysis
 
conducted by BFAR
 
6
 
is
 
provided
 
below:
Table
 
2.
 
Milkfish
 
fry
 
market
 
gap
 
analysis
Western
 
Visayas


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE  
 ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES      
 ) 
First Regular Session      
 ) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
H. No. _____
Introduced by Representative Raul C. Tupas 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A CENTRAL MARINE MULTI-SPECIES HATCHERY IN 
THE MUNICIPALITY OF CARLES, PROVINCE OF ILOILO AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR 
SECTION  1. There shall be established, under the supervision of the Bureau of 
1 
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Department of Agriculture (BFAR-DA), a central 
2 
multi-species marine hatchery in the Municipality of Carles, Province of Iloilo.  
3 
4 
SECTION  2. The BFAR-DA shall, within three (3) years after the establishment of the 
5 
central multi-species marine hatchery, transfer the management of the same to the local 
6 
government of the Municipality of Carles through a Memorandum of Agreement. The 
7 
BFAR-DA shall implement a training and phasing-in program for the local government 
8 
personnel of the Municipality of Carles in collaboration with the Northern Iloilo State 
9 
University (NISU) on the management and operation of the central multi-species marine 
10 
hatchery.  
11 
12 
The BFAR-DA, the local government of the Municipality of Carles, and NISU 
13 
shall conduct continuing research and experimentation on the breeding and production 
14 
of marine species, especially as they apply to local conditions, to discover new methods 
15 
and technology that shall benefit the fisheries industry.  
16 
17 
SECTION  3. The Secretary of Agriculture shall include in the Department’s programs 
18 
the establishment of the central multi-species marine hatchery in the Municipality of 
19 
Carles, Province of Iloilo, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General 
20 
Appropriations Act. The local government of the Municipality of Carles shall set aside 
21 
funds from any available revenue in an amount deemed appropriate for the 
22 
operationalization of the hatchery.  
23 
24 
SECTION  4. Within sixty (60) days from the approval of this Act, the Department of 
25 
Agriculture and the local government of the Municipality of Carles shall issue the rules 
26 
and regulations on the establishment, supervision, monitoring, and the eventual transfer 
27 
of the management of the central multi-species marine hatchery to the local government 
28 
of the Municipality of Carles.  
29 
30 
SECTION  5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official 
31 
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.   
32 
33 
Approved, 
34 
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