After years of learning the ropes in Siganid culture, good to know that Buguey fisherfolk has already mastered the technology and now gaining the image as a Siganid producer in the province and even in the region.

Siganid, with the scientific name "Siganidae", is known to the locals as "Malaga" - a high-value commercial fish species. 

It was in 1995 when the town started to venture into Malaga culture when the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) regional office 2 introduced the technology. But it was only in 2018 when the local government unit took full responsibility for identifying the most suited water condition, feeding and management practices.

Since that year, they almost perfected the technology especially when BFAR institutionalized fish cage monitoring as part of their project sustainability plus the involvement of the LGU through technology demonstration, Municipal Agriculturist Danilo Rumpon said.

It’s good that Buguey is blessed with a brackishwater that is highly suitable for Malaga – brackishwater which the mayor describes as “perfect ang timpla” contributed to the ideal growth of Siganids.

While they experienced losses during the early years because fish cages were destroyed during calamities, slowly they learned proper timing or stocking, and now, they utilize both fish cage and fishpond for growing or a total production area for siganid alone of 3.44 hectares.

With Mayor Licerio’s leadership and with his assurance for continuous support to Siganid farmers, Beth Villaflor, fish vendor, said the next years will assure a more bountiful harvest and a longer if not a kilometer grilled Malaga will be showcased. (OTB/ GVB/PIA-Cagayan)