Clarin Freshwater Fish Farm

Overview

The Clarin Freshwater Fish Farm is a government-operated aquaculture facility in Clarin municipality, Bohol, that produces GET Excel tilapia — a genetically enhanced tilapia strain developed for superior yield. The farm serves as a Regional Broodstock Center (RBC) under the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and also functions as an agri-tourism destination.

GET Excel stands for Genetically Enhanced Tilapias for Excellence. The strain is derived from improved Oreochromis niloticus using within-family selection and rotational mating. Compared to older commercial strains, GET Excel demonstrates a 38.12 g growth advantage and 10% higher survival rate. Tilapia ranks second only to milkfish (bangus) as the most widely cultured food fish in the Philippines.

The farm has been operating since June 5, 2003. Its largest single delivery to date was 550,000 GET Excel fingerlings transferred to Negros Oriental via BFAR-7.

Location

Clarin municipality, Bohol. Clarin is in the northwest part of the island, approximately 60 km from Tagbilaran City along the western coastal road.

Getting There

From Tagbilaran City, take a bus or van heading northwest along the coastal route toward Clarin. Travel time is approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. Ask for the BFAR fish farm or Clarin hatchery at the municipal terminal.

[TO ENRICH: Exact barangay address and road directions needed.]

Practical Info

Operator: Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Region VII
Function: Regional Broodstock Center (RBC) for GET Excel tilapia
Operating since: June 5, 2003
Products distributed to: Certified and registered private hatcheries and grow-out operators in Region VII
Flagship program: Nationwide Dissemination of GET Excel Tilapia (Department of Agriculture)

[TO ENRICH: Visitor hours, whether tours are conducted for agri-tourism groups, and contact details for the farm office.]

What to Expect

Visitors can observe the hatchery operations including breeding ponds, nursery tanks, and water reservoir systems. The farm’s role in the national aquaculture improvement program makes it an educational stop for students of fisheries and agriculture. Fingerlings and broodstock are distributed to private operators rather than sold retail at the farm.

The farm manages the full production cycle: receiving parent population from the National Broodstock Center (NBC), mass-producing fingerlings, and conducting market referral for certified private hatcheries. It also evaluates applications from prospective private hatchery operators seeking registration.

Expansion plans include at least five additional breeding ponds, concrete nursery tanks, a closed-type water reservoir, and improved water supply infrastructure.

Notes

Source reference: Melchor M. Tayamen, Nationwide Dissemination of GET Excel Tilapia in the Philippines, National Freshwater Fisheries Technology Center, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.