It’s no surprise that tilapia has been a part of our country’s culture for a long time, as early as the 1950s. The Mozambique tilapia was the first species to be brought from Java, Indonesia to the Philippines by the Bureau of Fisheries Aquatic Resources. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that the introduction of another species, the Nile tilapia, made tilapia farming commercially viable.
Tilapia farming flourished further in the 1980s, when another species, the red tilapia, was brought in. These species are easily commercially cultivated, as tilapias are known to be adaptable to various environments. Even small-scale fish farmers can also easily pursue tilapia farming, as it typically requires minimal input and technology. It’s no wonder why our nation developed a liking for tilapia, a species of fish that mirrors our culture’s resilience and adaptability.
