The Northern Marianas College officially opened Monday its new aquaculture development center with a ribbon cutting ceremony.<\/p>\n
The center, which will teach CNMI farmers how to cultivate fish, will be under the college\u2019s Cooperative Research, Extension, and Education Service program, or CREES.<\/p>\n
The new center used to be the CREES main building. Its roof was torn off by Typhoon Soudelor in 2015.<\/p>\n
NMC president Dr. Carmen Fernandez said the aquaculture center could play a big role in the growing economy of Saipan.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are excited to have all of you here this morning to help us open the [aquaculture center] that aims to build and expand the CNMI\u2019s aquaculture industry so that it can develop, thrive, and become a major pillar of [Saipan\u2019s] economic stability,\u201d said Fernandez.<\/p>\n
According to Mike Ogo, NMC resident aquaculture specialist, the center is currently focused on rabbit fish, or ma\u00f1ahak in the vernacular, due to its popularity in the CNMI.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe coordinated with the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and secured funding from various resources to make what you see here today,\u201d said Ogo.<\/p>\n
He said there are only two entities doing research on this particular fish in the whole world.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis center would be the second of its kind to research rabbit fish, with the other facility situated in French Polynesia,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres praised the center\u2019s capacity to sustain the economic growth of the island.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot only is this program viable, the program gives us a new business [ideas] and allows other communities to look into investments,\u201d said Torres.<\/p>\n
The center also addresses the demand for fresh fish year-round. <\/p>\n
\u201c[Rabbit fish] is seasonal, so with the CNMI being able to produce this type of fish year-round makes it even better,\u201d said Torres.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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