More farmers are now going into backyard or small fishponds, growing either tilapia or catfish, the African strain or species. Even with just a few square meters one can produce enough for a weekend of fun or for some, additional sources of protein or income. I have started a small fishpond in Dingle, 3 ponds of about 200 square meters each. I first raised African catfish and after one crop, I seeded it with native catfish bred by SEAFDEC which is on the forefront of reviving this vanishing species. In both, I was able to succeed and in my accounting, have gained a little but the profit was converted into the fish that my family enjoyed broiling during weekends. A small fishpond project can be as simple or sophisticated as one wants it to be. For those with limited funds, it can be just a simple affair of an earthen pond with a depth of at least one meter. In my case, I started with 1.2 meters deep but after two seasons, mud and fish waste reduced it to about 80 centimeters.

Locara, L. (2002, August 14). The backyard fishpond. The Visayas Examiner, pp. 4, 6.