MANILA, Philippines -- The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will start to vigorously promote the Pangasius, a freshwater species of catfish, dubbed as the "next big thing" in the local aquaculture industry.

According to Dr. Remedios Ongtangco, Central Luzon director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, this high-value fish commodity is seen as "the emerging darling of freshwater aquaculture."

Vitarich Corp. chair and president Rogelio Sarmiento said in a statement that the "entry of the Pangasius to our line of aqua products for export will strengthen our foothold in the global aquaculture market."

"Pangasius is expected to open new business opportunities in both local and export markets, similar to that of the bangus and tilapia," Sarmiento added.

BFAR said the Pangasius belongs to the family Pangasiidae with more than 20 different species. It is also called the shark catfish, because of its sharp dorsal fins, silver striped catfish, Siamese shark, sutchi catfish or swai catfish, is endemic on the Vietnam side of the Mekong River.

Known for its enormous size, the adult Pangasius can reach 130 cm or 4 feet in length and can weigh up to 44 kilos or 97 lbs.

BFAR introduced the Pangasius in the country in 1981.

Already, a couple in Floridablanca, Pampanga, have taken up the challenge to raise and promote this variety of catfish.

Marlon and Remedios Coronel are trying to culture Pangasius in their part of the world.

"Agyu mi siguro (Perhaps we can do it)," Remedios said.

Marlon and Remedios Coronel were Gawad Saka awardees in Central Luzon in 1999 for tilapia growing.

Starting with just two ponds in 1998, they now operate eight ponds in their 10-hectare farm.

They have a 7,000-square-meter pond, which the BFAR will stock with 35,000 Pangasius fingerlings from the Bluebay Aqua Farm. Vitarich will supply the feeds in this technology demonstration farm.

The Coronels said they agreed to embark on the project to culture this variety of catfish not only to personally gain but to help other fish growers as well.

The collaboration is expected to increase production of Central Luzon's P17.37-billion aquaculture industry, or the country's P55.73-billion aquaculture sector, Ongtangco said.

The region contributes 31 percent to total national production.

"This catfish was introduced in the Philippines as an ornamental fish, commonly known as freshwater hammerhead shark," Ongtangco said. "But it is a culture species and food fish export of countries like Vietnam and Thailand."

In 2005, Vietnam began producing fillets from Pangasius.

As these happened, Vitarich Corp. developed local feeds for this species.

Ongtangco says the Pangasius is "easy to grow within six months and thus give big potentials to the freshwater culture sector."

"The feed conversion ratio is very efficient," she said. "A kilogram of feeds can raise 1.2 kg of meat. That's high compared to tilapia and bangus that take two kilos of feed to produce a kilo of meat."

A BFAR study showed that growing 10,000 fingerlings at P2.50 each in a 2,000-square-meter of pond can cost P342,245.75, inclusive of feeds, lime, diesel, electricity, labor and miscellaneous expenses.

With a harvest of 8,000 kilograms at a farm gate of P60 per kg, the net income could reach P137,754.25 after gross sales of P480,000.