I. What is Bangus?

Bangus, also known as “milkfish”. Bangus has scientific name of

“Chanoschanos”. Milkfish are toothless and have small mouths. They feed on
algae, pellets, zooplankton, and detritus. Bangus is the national fish of
Philippines, called milkfish in English. It is an adaptable, tough, and sturdy
fish that can survive in confined spaces, so it is regularly bred on fish farms,
which is the reason why it is widely available all over the Philippines.

The Bangus industry has continued to advance over the years,

eventually helping Dagupan City rise to a strong economic boom. The
municipal government put a lot of effort into growing this sector, and gradually
Dagupan Bangus gained recognition outside the province, throughout the
entire Philippines, and even abroad. The Philippines is one of the main nations
exporting milkfish now, and Dagupan City made sure their fish were of the
highest quality before export. A few years ago, they constructed two Bangus
processing facilities in the province, one in Dagupan City and the other in San
Fabian, a nearby hamlet. As a result of Bangus – being one of the reasons of
Dagupan having its economic rise and strong, Dagupan celebrates a festival, a
kind of festival wherein it is not a typical kind of festivals which has meaning,
but Dagupan Bangus itself which is implying to tell of having a bountiful
harvest and to celebrate the pride of Dagupan.

Dagupan (Bangus Festival) started Mayor Benjamin Lim who initiated

this kind of festival to promote Dagupan’s most precious gem, Bangus or
milkfish. And one year later, they were recognized Kalutan ed Dagupan by the
Guinness Book of World Records as the Longest Barbecue of the World. Since
then, Dagupan has been celebrating this festivity yearly in the month of April.
In fact, because it is a big event, many media entities not just from the
Philippines but across the world are covering this annual event in Dagupan.
 II. Why is Dagupan’s Bangus is different from other Bangus?

One element that contributes to the exceptional flavor of the fish is the

water from the fishponds in Bonuan. Brackish water, which is a mix of fresh
and saline water, is the classification for the Dagupan River. This is regarded
by some as the true reason why BonuanBangus tastes superior. The Lingayen
Gulf provides the saline water, while Mt. Ampucao in Benguet provides the
fresh water. This makes breeding bangus in the Dagupan River even more
advantageous. The soil is another factor in the special flavor of Bonuanbangus.
Clay-like soil with a high calcium content covers the rivers and fishponds of
Bonuan. The fish's bones are larger and can accommodate more meat because
of the high calcium content. The growth of the lablab depends on the nutrients
in the soil. This is another reason why, even though they are produced near to
other and share the Dagupan River, bangus from Dagupan taste different from
those from Binmaley and Lingayen. Dagupan's proximity to the sea causes the
tides to change often. The waters of the fishponds are frequently flushed due to
the continual tidal activity. This is the cause of the Bonuanbangus' lack of
“maablir” or an earthy flavor. It's yet another element contributing to the
lablab's expansion. The physical traits of the Bonuanbangus are another factor
that sets it apart from its relatives. They feature a tiny mouth, a round head, a
shorter lower fin, and an outwardly bulging, semi-round, fat but firm belly.
Comparatively speaking to other bangus, the scales are smaller, brighter, and
finer. But shoppers should exercise caution. Some dishonest merchants
purposefully removed the lower fin from their bangus to make them resemble
the Bonuan. There has recently been a proposal in Dagupan City to allow tail-
tagging so that Dagupan-grown bangus may be identified. The weight of the
fish is the Bonuan bangus' primary identifying feature. Since the fish only
consume lablab, the true Bonuan bangus offered on the market cannot weigh
more than 250 grams.
 Due to this fact – the taste of Bangus of Dagupan it can be cooked in
many ways, which eventually became popular in every world. Here are some
techniques how we can cook a viand, with the used of Bangus.

 InihawnaBangus (Grilled Bangus) - InihawnaBangus is a popular dish,

and is also served as a pulutan, an appetizer taken with alcoholic
beverages. It is grilled with stuffing made of spices, and then wrapped
in aluminum foil to aid in the cooking process. The fish is a little burnt
on the outside but very juicy inside. This goes best with a dipping
sauce made of calamansi juice (local lemon), vinegar, garlic, soy sauce
and chilies.
 PaksiwnaBangus
 Fried Bangus
 Sinigang naBangus
 Bangus Steak

III. Aquaculture Production of Bangus (Milkfish)

Milkfish are often cultivated in shallow, large ponds that have been
created by reclaiming mangrove swamps. About 11,300 hectares are covered
by about 8,700 of these fish ponds. There are approximately 4,000 fingerlings
per hectares, and since ponds are treated to encourage the establishment of lab-
lab, a complex of nutrient-rich filamentous algae and phytoplankton, there is
little need for further feeding. Fish require three months to reach market size,
and a nine-month growing season often includes two or three crop cycles.

Progressive pond owners began modifying their large ponds by

deepening and aerating them in the middle of the 1980s. More than 25,000
fingerling milkfish are cultivated per hectare in these semi-intensive ponds,
and they need additional feeding. It was estimated that the estuary's milkfish
pond production was 12,000 metric tons in 1992. Several pond owners have
diversified their crop production by raising shrimp in monoculture with crop
rotation or in polyculture with milkfish.

Aquaculture production included a wide range of species and

technological diversity up until the early 1990s. The majority of the province's
aquaculture activities were local, and to some extent, community pressure
helped these enterprises flourish. Waterways were first used by many people
without any controversy. For instance, fixed nets set up to catch migrating fish
and crustaceans were frequently positioned close to the culture of oysters,
milkfish, and groupers. This polyculture method of aquaculture management
increased the estuary's productivity. Some fishermen benefited from the use of
polyculture techniques; one example is fishermen who had oyster farming
plots and also used fish aggregation or small reef-like spat collectors.

The milkfish net pen culture was the form of aquaculture that had
significant growth in the Dagupan City. The milkfish industry expanded
quickly as a result of the production's success. The industry's explosive growth
had an impact on the environment. Producers that used the more reliable
polyculture methods suffered financial losses as a result of the unregulated
establishment of the milkfish pens, which caused the water quality to
deteriorate. Deteriorated water quality eventually started to have an impact on
milkfish pen operators. Beginning in 1996, in the fish pens in the village of
Binmaley, over-intensification of finfish aquaculture caused hyper-
eutrophication and fish kills. The official government response to the fish kills
is reported, and recommendations to prevent them in the future are made based
on the aquaculture industry's carrying capacity.

IV. Bangus as the Main Product of Dagupan

The Ilocos region is the major producer of the national fish, and
bangus is the "one town, one product" of that region, though it is primarily
produced in Pangasinan.  Because of the high quality of the city's water,
Dagupan's milkfish is promoted as the "greatest tasting bangus in the world."
Dagupan is known to as the "World's Bangus Capital" because of its pond-
raised bangus (milkfish), which are allegedly the tastiest and juiciest in the
entire world.

Dagupan, a city situated along the Lingayen Gulf in the province of

Pangasinan's northern coastline, is home to some of the region's best bangus.
The best bangus available is from Dagupan, particularly from Bonuan.
Although some municipalities in the province, including Bolinao, Bani,
Alaminos City, and Sual, also produce milkfish, Dagupan's milkfish continue
to be unrivaled. 

One can tell if a milkfish is from Dagupan when the lower fin is
initially smaller than the top fin. Second, the lips and skull are both tiny and
rounded. Third, a rounded belly. Clearly, only purchase items that have tags
indicating that they are from Dagupan. A few sellers, however, try to dupe
customers by labeling their goods as being from Dagupan and attaching tags.
Milkfish without tags are available only in Dagupan City. The combination of
fresh and salt water in the river gives the bangus in this city a distinctively
delightful flavor. To have a body of water like this, Dagupan City is really
fortunate.
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Bangus Dagupan and the Fiestival of the north (pangasinan).
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About Us. Sangguniang Panlungsod - Dagupan City. (2021, June 4).

Retrieved October 31, 2022, from
https://sp.dagupan.gov.ph/about-us/

Environmental Monitoring and Modelling of Aquaculture in risk areas

of the Philippines (EMMA) . (n.d.). Retrieved October 31, 2022,
from https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/adobe-acrobat-
pdf-edit-co/efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj

(PDF) aquaculture in Dagupan City, Philippines - researchgate. (n.d.).

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Sotelo, Y. (2012, July 8). Dagupan Bangus to soon get a brand.

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