In celebration of the 61st Fish Conservation Week, faculty and students from the College of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (CFAS), BFAR scholars, the CFAS Student Council, and local counterparts gathered on September 26, 2024, in Sitio Lamintao, Talisay, Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo, for a mangrove planting and coastal clean-up activity. Collaborators from DJSMMC also participated in this joint effort to preserve coastal ecosystems and protect aquatic biodiversity.
The activity kicked off with a short lecture on mangrove planting and waste management, delivered by Mr. John Christian B. Salarza, a DFT student at ISUFST-SGS, and Ms. Vanica Boglosa, a MET student at ISUFST-SGS.
“𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁, 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀,” Mr. Salarza emphasized. “𝗛𝗼𝘄𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿, 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲, 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝘁.”
The event highlighted the importance of mangroves in coastal protection, climate change mitigation, and fish habitat conservation. The hands-on approach, combined with knowledge sharing, empowered participants to contribute to environmental preservation while addressing the pressing issue of mangrove deforestation. | via Johnas Arellado / The Sea Treasure
Reymark Dubduban & Johnas Arellado /Published by: Patrick Lance Nacion/MIS-PAMMCO