How to Start A Bangus (Milkfish) Farm - Part 1

How to Start a Bangus (Milkfish) Farm - Part 1

Fish Pond - Buy or Lease

Make use of an existing brackish water pond, if you own one. If not, the choice is to either buy or lease as a start-up. 

For example, Binmaley (where we grow bangus) is known for its numerous fishponds and river system. According to the official website of Pangasinan, Binmaley is a first class municipality, with a population of 98,430 in 33 barangays occupying 6,120 hectares.

More than half (53%) are devoted to fishponds, which can be found almost in any barangay (village). The Agno River and its several tributaries and branches cut across our entire municipality. If you drive along the highway from Binmaley to Dagupan City, you’ll cross Manat Bridge and see Manat River, which is a major branch.

Viewing Binmaley through Google Earth/Map, you’ll see fishponds dotting the entire municipality from the northeast (adjacent Dagupan City), southeast (adjacent Calasiao), south (adjacent San Carlos City), and up to the west (adjacent Lingayen City). They are so numerous that Binmaley is dubbed the “fishbowl of Pangasinan” or the “Bangus Queen of the Philippines”.

For those who would like to pursue bangus farming, the option is either to lease or buy. Here in our locality we have a choice of leasing Class A, B, or C with the annual rental usually fixed on per year and per hectare basis.

The class depends on the location.

·  Class A ponds are situated alongside a river, its branch, or a tributary. A quarter of around 3,000 hectares fishponds in Binmaley is considered first class or Class A. For the features of a Class A pond, click this.

·  Class B is very near a river, branch or tributary but not abutting it. Some may have its own long canal from a tributary. Other Class B ponds (similar to what I lease) draw brackish water from a Class A pond. But the important thing is that pond water comes in and out depending on the tide. About a third of around 3,000 hectares Binmaley fishponds are considered second class or Class B.

·  Class C (which is what we own and operate) is a closed system. It takes in salt water only once a year for one month through a public canal, then for the rest of the year, relies on rain water. It normally shares the common canal with a number of other Class C ponds. About 40% of Binmaley fishponds are deemed third class or Class C.

My Class C brackish water bangus pond

We suggest using Google Earth/Map to scan the specific area and pinpoint the pond location vis-à-vis the nearest river source. Later on, after talking to the owner, visit the site itself. Do an ocular inspection. Talk to neighbors, locals, barangay (village) officials, etc.

Annual rental rate per hectare per year (as far as we know) is now around Php25,000 (Class C), Php25,000 to 30,000 (Class B), and Php45,000 to 50,000 or more for Class A. Lessors usually publish their rental rates through popular local online sites (like sulit.com, ayosdito.com, olx.com, etc.). Rates are usually negotiable. However, you can learn about ponds for lease through word-of-mouth in the locality. Just a reminder. You can lease a pond not only from an owner, but also a lessee (who sometimes sublease the pond).

If you have enough capital to own a pond and operate it, the other option is to buy.

Class A usually sells for at least Php 130 to 150 per square meter upwards depending on location and amount of improvements already in place. Class B ranges from Php120, 130 upwards. Class C now sells at Php100 or 110 per square meter or Php 1 to 1.1 M per hectare or slightly more. As always, it all depends on the location, seller, and the reason for selling. It’s possible to get a price lower than the going rate, but one needs to negotiate, or if it’s a rush sale.

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