An organic aquaculturist from Sipalay City (Philippines) said fish feed with natural or organic food actually looks, smells and tastes better than fish supplied with synthetic feeds.
Francisco Britanico, who has a 45-hectare fish farm in Barangay Nabulao, has been practising organic fish growing for four years now.
He grows milkfish, black tiger prawns, white Pacific shrimps, mudcrab and tilapia using organic fertilizers.
“When I was into chemical feeding, I reached a point when my production was very low and no longer worthwhile,” he said. Britanico shared his experiences as a bangus grower at the Seminar on Organic Bangus Production during the 3rd Negros Island Organic Farmers’ Festival at the Provincial Capitol.
He said he harvested only 100 to 150 kilos per hectare then. But after using organic fertilizers, his harvest doubled to as much as 300 to 350 kilos.
Britanico said using organic inputs is better because growing natural food requires a shorter time and shorter culture period, but it results in rising production output, less cost, and better-looking, better-smelling and better-tasting fish.
Continued use of chemicals on fishponds degrades the soil, making it lose its natural qualities to host healthy plant life which is food for the fish, he added.