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Archives
May 1-15, 2001
A second look at biotechnology
by Maria Rowena S.A. Briones
At present, there is no water quality
standard for mariculture sites in the Philippines, making
it prone to exploitation, and possibly contributing
to the environmental degradation problems faced not
only by our own country, but the world.
Like any other sector of the food industry,
mariculture (the cultivation of sea animals and plants
in their usual habitats, generally for commercial purposes)
products need to have a good image, which means an industry
that is "well regulated, environmentally-sensitive,
controllable, maintained by responsible operators and
economically and politically sustainable." With
this in mind, it is imperative that proper monitoring
and regulation be required of the industry.
The Bureau of Agricultural Research through
the Marine Science Institute in UP Diliman and UP Visayas
embarked on a three-year study to develop marine environmental
quality criteria for mariculture areas. Through this
study, researchers will develop, adopt and propose water
and sediment quality criteria that can be used as a
basis for evolving standards for the mariculture industry.
Launched in May 2000, major activities,
which include assessment of water quality criteria and
standards of mariculture sites used in other countries,
water and sediment toxicity studies, and estimation
of environmental capacity, have already started. Proponents
of the study further stressed the significance of a
set of guidelines since other countries already have
policies on the export of fish and fish products. In
the US, a guideline preventing the shipment of fish
and fishery products without a government accredited
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) was
released by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).
"If fully implemented, the US FDA will not only
consider the quality of the fishery products but also
the quality of the environment where the products are
obtained or cultured," they added.
Existing marine water quality criteria
of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) and the ASEAN intern guidelines for marine water
were obtained. Results showed that the proposed criteria
value for oxygen for ASEAN is 20% lower than the current
DENR value of 4mg/l. DENR does not have criteria values
for ASEAN for nitrate, nitrite and phosphate. Values
for metals and cyanide proposed for the region appear
much more stringent, being ten times lower than that
of the other parameters.
Likewise, pertinent references and documents
were obtained from other countries: Regulation and Monitoring
of Marine Cage Farming in Scotland - A Manual of Procedures;
Improved Environmental Manual of Best Practice; and
Quantification and Reporting of Nitrogen and Phosphorous
Discharges/Loses from Aquaculture Plants.
For complete results, please see paper on "Development
of Marine Environment Quality Criteria for Mariculture
Areas" at the Marine Institute or the Bureau of
Agricultural Research 
May 1-15 2001 Articles: ::
Farmers, private sector renew ties with BAR
::
PhilCorn institutional plan developed
::
BAR technical expert proposes scheme for public-private sector partnership
::
CGIAR redefines role for 21st century
::
A second look at biotechnology
::
3 national team leaders take posts
::
PhilFruits establishment plan reviewed
::: More May 2001 articles :::
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