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MSI receives P14-M grant for high-impact projects by Mary Charlotte O. Fresco

April-June 2000 Volume 2 No. 2

Of the P27-million annual fund set by the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) for High-Impact Projects (HIPs) under the fisheries sector, P14 million has been granted to Marine Science Institute (MSI).

Three out of five HIPs approved under the Aquaculture Fisheries RDE network are spearheaded by MSI. The project entitled "Development of Marine Environmental Quality Criteria for Mariculture Areas", which would operate on a budget of P2.9 million during the first year of implementation, is designed to develop the environmental standards for water and sediment quality of the mariculture industry to ensure high-quality fishery products.

The second project "Development of Mitigating Strategies for Seaweed Disease to Sustain/Enhance Production in Farms", granted P1.9 million for the initial phase, aims to develop measures and strategies to help determine the factors that trigger the occurrence of diseases in seaweed.

An initial budget of P2 million is granted to the MSI project entitled "Assessment of Genetic Variability of Wild and Hatchery-Bred Philippine Milkfish Populations Towards Increased and Sustainable Production". Its objective is to prevent genetic erosion and morphological abnormalities in hatchery-bred milkfish due to deleterious genes.

Meanwhile, under the Capture Fisheries RDE network, two HIPs were developed by MSI namely "Ocean Color for Sustainable Fisheries (OCSF)" and "Enhancing Sustainable Fisheries Through Improved Marine Fishery Reserves (MFRs)."

The OCSF, which has an initial budget of P2.5 million, is designed to develop color image data that will help identify areas with high planktonic production for feeding small and big pelagic species.

The HIP on MFRs has three sub-components investigating the long-, medium-, and short-range effects of MFRs. Though each targets a specific timeframe and site of implementation, they share a common goal - to develop Marine Protected Areas to sustain multi-species and multi-gear fisheries and avoid exploitation of open-access seas. An allocation of P4.581 million is granted for the HIP's first year of implementation.

Other HIPs for fisheries are being implemented by other partner state colleges and universities, namely UP Visayas, UP Los Baños, Zamboanga State College of Marine Science and Technology, and Mindanao State University.

Results of these projects are targeted for utilization in three years' time.

More Articles:

Vol. 2 No. 2 April-June 2000

»» 1st national fisherfolk day celebration
»» MSI receives P14-M grant for high-impact projects
»» Fishery R&D projects in batanes get support from BAR, BFAR
»» The making of a national team leader
»» Dr. Jesse Ronquillo: a profile of a multi-awarded scientist
»» Sea urchin (Tripneustes gratilla) research project
»» National/regional integrated fisheries RD&E agenda and program
»» Use of artificial diets in feeding Asian catfish
»» Technology support for mudcrab industry development

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