About Me

About Me

Hi! Welcome to Fish Pond Buddy! I’m a fish farmer who grows the famous Philippine Dagupan bangus (milk fish), white leg shrimp or Pacific white shrimp (p. vannamei) and brackishwater Molobicus and Nilotica tilapia.

In 2006, I started to grow bangus in our own 2.3 hectare fish farm property and took a lease of a 1.4 hectare pond. Both in Binmaley, Pangasinan (a province in the southern cost of Lingayen Gulf in northern Luzon, Philippines).

That was three years after I retired from my day job in Metro Manila at age 50. 
 
Year 2006 was my first time running the fish farms in Binmaley. As a first timer in a rural area, I needed to make some adjustments. But after a few weeks, I adapted and soon relished the simple farm life. The clean air, fresh fish,  fruits and vegetables, the peaceful rustic ambiance of the "pokok" (fish pond).  

Main grow-out pond as viewed from the feeding area, one of 6 ponds in my 2.3 hectare fish farm.
 
I learned to work and live in the farm, eating fresh, home-cooked meals, living modestly like the rest. Found the simplicity of rural folks quite refreshing. 

For sure, there are challenges. Lots of manual work to maintain and operate the ponds, lack of experience, erratic weather, pond predators, sourcing of capable trusty workers, supplies and materials, etc. To me, fish farm life is both challenging and fun.

I keep a small farm house, with Manila as my family base. Every other week at the farm, the rest in Manila with my wife, children and grandchildren. That’s my routine. Works quite well based on my experience.

When I started in 2006, I was positive despite the language barrier (Pangasinense is the local dialect which I hardly spoke then), with no formal training in aquaculture. I was hopeful but realistic at the same time.
 
I’ve had beginner's mistakes, experiences, adventures and lessons too useful not to share. This blog site aims to chronicle them all.

About the Site

Fish Pond Buddy aims to reach: (a) bangus growers - to share personal tips on raising fish farm productivity and profits, cutting costs, preventing losses (b) would-be fish farmers (such as retirees, overseas returnees or aspiring millennial farmers) - on how to start fish farming (c) other interested parties, such as fish farm suppliers, vendors, traders, buyers, weekend/hobby farmers, students, etc.

Fish Pond Buddy shares tips on how to buy, sell, lease, transfer inherited fish farm property. We hope to share valuable experience on our personal dealings with the government agencies. 

We also have blog posts on plants and trees in Fish Pond Buddy. My wife and I are both plant hobbyists. Seven years ago, except for the old coconut and mango trees, the farm started almost bare. Over the years, we added myriads of ornamental plants and other fruit trees around the farm property. As a result, they have made it more fun and relaxing staying in the farm. 

My favorite breakfast/coffee nook - under the mango tree overlooking the pond

As added feature, this blog site devotes some posts on local dishes and delicacies, must-see travel sites, as well as other farm-related activities, focusing on traditional practices, skills and know-how.

Pangasinan is now my second home. A third of the time, I stay there and enjoy it. So come over and have fun in this lovely part of northern Luzon at the southern coast of Lingayen Gulf with its popular tourist sites, eating places, and unique products. Learn more about this place later through Fish Pond Buddy.

About the Content

All contents in this blog are my original work culled from personal observations, interviews, experiences, and researches. To provide perspective, contents may sometimes cite, refer, or quote selected technical materials from authoritative studies from such entities as Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC), and United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO). In these instances, the reference author and book/site for such materials will be duly acknowledged. 

Observations in this site are strictly my own, focused more on the personal experiences I want to share and some management and business aspects. They are not meant to be expert technical opinion.

This blog, like others, is copyright-protected under Philippine laws and enjoys automatic protection under the Berne Convention (of which the Philippines is a signatory).

However, I share the contents for free with whoever has use for them and can learn useful tips from the articles. It’s more fun in Pangasinan!

For a compete list of Fish Pond Buddy blog posts on fish farm-related topics, please click the Index page.

Here's a recent photo of one of our grow-out ponds (February 2019).

A grow-out pond, used as cover photo for my Facebook blog page

You can visit me at my Facebook page at Facebook.com/fishpondbuddy.