Philippine Aquaculture History PDF

DEFINITION OF AQUACULTURE According to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations : Aquaculture as “the farming of aquatic organisms, including fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and aquatic plants. According to Philippine Fisheries Code: R.A. 8550 as amended by R.A. 10654 Aq...

DEFINITION OF AQUACULTURE According to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations : Aquaculture as “the farming of aquatic organisms, including fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and aquatic plants. According to Philippine Fisheries Code: R.A. 8550 as amended by R.A. 10654 Aquaculture – fishery operations involving all forms of raising and culturing fish and other fishery species in fresh, brackish and marine areas Aquaculture or Aquafarming implies: Interventions to enhance ‘production’ such as: ✓ Regular stocking ✓ Feeding ✓ Protection from predators Ownership over the stock being cultivated, whether individual or corporate, so that the resulting product is not exploited by the public as a common property resources. History of Aquaculture Aquaculture started in China since around 3,500 B.C. Fish are grown in ponds on silkworm farms. Common Carp was the first fish to cultured. The purpose of which is to provide fish for the Royal Family during the winter months. The first written account of fish culture in ponds was by a Chinese named Fan Lai in 475 B.C. Philippine History of Aquaculture Philippine aquaculture industry is diverse in terms of species, culture systems and ecosystems, the level of development also varies greatly from one species to another. Milkfish The exact period when aquaculture gained a foothold in the Philippines may never be known. It is generally accepted however that the earliest fishponds were brackish water fishponds and the earliest species to be grown was bangus or milkfish, Chanos chanos Forskal, using naturally occurring fry that came in with tidal waters Sometime in the mid-1950s, intensive milkfish farming started in Negros Occidental. Philippine History of Aquaculture In early 1970s milkfish farming operation Milkfish expanded to include culture in bamboo and net pens set in Laguna de Bay. (Delmendo and Gedney, 1974) In 1979, the technology to spawn the milkfish in captivity and produce fry in a hatchery was developed by SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department. With the initial success in rearing the fish to maturity leading to spontaneous spawning in captivity, a National Bangus Breeding Program was launched in 1985. In early 1990s milkfish culture in fish pens spread as well to shallow marine bays and estuaries particularly in the Lingayen Gulf area In 1996, the first Norwegian cages, hereto are introduce to used for salmon, were tried in Sual Bay, Pangasinan along the western coast of Luzon. (dela Vega, 1998) Philippine History of Aquaculture Penaeid Shrimps The jumbo tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon; the white shrimps P. indicus and P. merguiensis and perhaps the greasy-back shrimp, Metapenaeus ensis were always considered only a secondary species in brackish water fishpond harvest with milkfish. It was only in 1951 when the culture of P. monodon as a primary species was first advocated by Villadolid and Villaluz (1951). Delmendo and Rabanal (1955), made the first documentation on their growth and their culture in brackishwater ponds. In the mid 1970s successful reproduction of P. monodon in captivity was conducted. (Villaluz et al, 1972). Philippine History of Aquaculture Penaeid Shrimps It was during the 1980s that the penaeid shrimp industry really took off due to booming Japanese market demand. The jumbo tiger shrimp became the Philippines top marine product export earning at its peak in 1992 of some USD 300 M. During the early 1990s, the ill effects of pushing production to the limits using high stocking densities led to diseases, mainly luminous vibriosis. Philippine History of Aquaculture Mud Crabs In 1960s, bamboo fencing were used around a brackishwater pond to prevent crabs from crawling out (Grow-out to Fattening). Work on crab larval rearing in the Philippines started as early as the mid 1970s but past attempts were at most sporadic rather than sustained, and survival rates had always been low and inconsistent. Recently however work at the SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department in Tigbauan, Iloilo is yielding more consistent results with improved survival at a level which could make crab seed production economically viable. The technology as of 1998 is in the field verification stage and is in the process of being packaged for dissemination within 1999. Philippine History of Aquaculture Oysters and Mussels In early as 1931 an oyster farming was established in Hinigaran, Negros Occidental employing the broadcast method of culture (Rosell, 1992). In 1932 (Ronquillo, 1992) and 1935 (Rosell,1992) the then Bureau of Science introduced improved methods of oyster farming in Binakayan, Cavite. In 1955 the Bureau of Fisheries oyster farming station in Binakayan, Cavite established a 300sq.m demonstration mussel farm for Perna viridis – the station uses whole lengths of bamboo poles simply stuck into the soft muddy bottom of known mussel beds which until today existed and adapted due to its simplicity. (Rosell, 1992). Philippine History of Aquaculture Oysters and Mussels In the middle to late 1970s that mussel farming spread outside the Manila Bay area. The most widespread mussel species in the Philippines is the brown mussel, Modiolus metcalfei but never been farmed. (Yap, 1979). During recent years mussel and oyster farmers have been faced with the red tide problem. Philippine History of Aquaculture Tilapia In 1950 the late Dr. Deogracias Villadolid, Director of the then Bureau of Fisheries, brought in the first tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) from Thailand which attempt to popularize freshwater fishponds in backyard scale was made (Villaluz, 1953). It is generally held that it was only with the introduction of the faster growing Nile tilapia (O. niloticus) in the early 1970s that freshwater aquaculture progressed beyond the sporadic backyard scale or seasonal operations in the past (Aypa, 1992). Philippine History of Aquaculture Tilapia The earliest attempt in monosex culture used manual sexing (Guerrero and Guerrero, 1975). Experiments using androgens to produce all male tilapia fingerlings (Guerrero,1976) showed the feasibility of its commercial application (Guerrero, 1979). The production of genetically male tilapia fingerlings using artificially produced males with YY- chromosome was the next step in monosex tilapia culture (Mair, 1994). There were several independent introduction of O. aureus, in 1977 by the Central Luzon State University, in 1978 by SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department and in 1982 by Israeli consultants of a large commercial freshwater farm in Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija. Philippine History of Aquaculture Tilapia 1988 was a landmark year in tilapia aquaculture. It was during that year that the International Center of Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM) initiated a program to developed an improved strain of tilapia for low-cost sustainable aquaculture with funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) which was to result in the production of GIFT or Genetically Improved Farm Tilapias. During the same year the British Overseas Development Agency (ODA) also funded the Genetic Manipulation for Improved Tilapia (GMIT) project. Both projects were done at the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) campus in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. Philippine History of Aquaculture Tilapia It was not until the mid-1990s when both projects were ready to commercialize the research results. Early attempts showed that fast-growing, salinity tolerant fish can be produced by crossing O. mossambicus and O. niloticus (Guerrero and Cornejo, 1994; Dureza et al,1994). It was only in 1998 that a commercial farm located in Negros Occidental started promoting a saline-tolerant all-male, hybrid tilapia fingerlings, as a viable alternative to milkfish in brackishwater or saltwater ponds. The strain the said farm is promoting is reportedly a male O. hornorum and female O. mossambicus cross. Philippine History of Aquaculture Giant Freshwater Prawn The technology for the culture of giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, was introduced to the Philippines during the 1970s. The BFAR Freshwater Fisheries Technology Center in Muñoz, Nueva Ejija now has a regularly operating Macrobrachium hatchery and is supplying seedstock to a few cooperating freshwater fishponds within the Central Luzon area. Philippine History of Aquaculture Carps and Other Freshwater Fish Species Introductions of exotic fish started as early as 1905 with the three different species of mosquito fish from Honolulu, Hawaii. This was followed by the black bass Micropterus salmoides from California, USA. The first exotic food fish with potential for aquaculture was introduced only in 1915 with the entry of the common carp, Cyprinus carpio from Hongkong which (Villaluz, 1953). were stocked in the swamps and freshwater lakes of Mindanao in 1916 and 1918. Philippine History of Aquaculture Carps and Other Freshwater Fish Species Several other freshwater fish species were introduced In 1927 the giant gourami from Thailand and the various plasalid species (Trichogaster spp.) in 1938. The big head, silver carp and the Indian carps were also introduced in the 1967 to 1968. Philippine History of Aquaculture Seaweeds a. Caulerpa Caulerpa, specifically C. lentillifera, is the first species to have been commercially cultivated among all marine algae. According to Trono (1988), the culture of “lato”, as the species is know in the Visayan islands in Central Philippines, started in the island of Mactan, province of Cebu, in the early 1950s. The technology involved is simple. Existing milkfish ponds can be used for Caulerpa farming. Cuttings are used as planting material. These are planted one meter apart. After planting the only activities involve water management and weeding. After the cuttings shall have taken roots, frequent water exchange is necessary to maintain a fresh supply of nutrients. Philippine History of Aquaculture Seaweeds b. Eucheuma According to Ronquillo (1992), Eucheuma cultivation started in the late 1960s when Dr. Maxwell Doty from the University of Hawaii Department of Botany came to the Philippines to assist Marine Colloids Ltd, an American company in finding a reliable supply of the seaweed. The Bureau of Fisheries Research Division conducted trial farming in off Mindoro Island and various other locations. With the initial success family plots were established in Tapaan Island, Siasi, Sulu and later in Sitangkai, Sibutu Island. However farming in earnest started only in 1973. Philippine History of Aquaculture Seaweeds b. Eucheuma The tambalang was later recognized as a totally different species (and genus) and renamed Kappaphycus alvarezii in honor of Mr. Vicente Alvarez, a biologist of the BFAR Research Division who was responsible for BFAR’s early effort in farming and assisting the first group of farmers in Sulu. Lately Eucheuma culture inside net cages to protect the crop from grazers, has also been successfully tried (Hurtado-Ponce, 1992). Philippine History of Aquaculture Seaweeds b. Eucheuma The success of Eucheuma farming in the Philippines has catapulted the country to become the world’s largest producer of carageenophyte seaweed. Philippine History of Aquaculture Seaweeds c. Gracilaria The farming of Gracilaria is said to have started in Taiwan in 1962 (Trono 1988). However even earlier than that, some milkfish farmers around Manila Bay used to deliberately cultivate this seaweed in their ponds to serve as natural food for milkfish. Its commercial cultivation in the Philippines as a crop in itself must have started soon after the success of Eucheuma farming in 1973.  Philippine History of Aquaculture Rabbitfish and Spadefish The rabbitfish, Siganus spp, and the spadefish, Scatophagus argos is cultured to a limited extent in some brackishwater ponds, marine pens and cages in some parts of the Philippines, particularly in Pangasinan. Because it is a popular food fish, some fishpond operators are tempted to stock them in empty ponds because of the availability of a large number of fingerlings during certain months of the year. Two species are considered faster growing than the other species. The two are S. guttatus and S. vermiculatus. Hatchery technology is well developed at least for S. guttatus. Philippine History of Aquaculture Seabass, Groupers and Other Carnivorous Fish Species a. Seabass In the mid-1970s there were early attempts to use seabass as a predator species in a mixed sex tilapia pond to prevent overcrowding among the tilapia. However serious attempts at farming seabass in ponds as a crop in itself started only in the mid 1980s when fingerlings started to be produced in hatcheries. Philippine History of Aquaculture Seabass, Groupers and Other Carnivorous Fish Species b. Groupers The earliest attempts were apparently made by coastal fishers whose catch of live groupers may have been rejected because they were not big enough. Rather than throwing them back to the sea, these were fattened in small cages and sold when they became big enough. In the province of Capiz (Panay island), where both pond and cage culture of grouper is thriving, the growers may depend more on tilapia (O. mossambicus) proliferating wildly in brackishwater ponds. The use of tilapia as a feed fish has also been noted in the province of Bulacan, Central Luzon (Aypa 1992), and Pangasinan (Rice and De Vera, 1998). Aquaculture by Environment Freshwater – Lakes, reservoirs, rivers Brackishwater – River mouth, estuaries, mangrove areas Marinewater (Mariculture) – bays, coral coves, offshores Aquaculture by Production Phase Hatchery Nursery Grow-out – from broostocks – from ‘fry’ to – from juveniles to to eggs to post larger juveniles preferred market larvae or small (often called size juveniles (often ‘fingerlings’) called ‘fry’ or ‘seeds’) Aquaculture by Farming System Land-Base Tanks – (concrete, fiber glass, canvass, plastic) for phytoplankton, zoo plankton milkfish, tilapia, freshwater prawns, grouper, and others Aquaculture by Farming System Earthen Ponds – for milkfish, tilapia, tiger shrimp, grouper, siganids, crabs, seagrapes, seabass and others Aquaculture by Farming System Cages (Fixed or Floating) – for tilapia, milkfish, grouper, siganids, snapper, seabass and others Aquaculture by Farming System Pens – for milkfish, siganids, mudcrabs and others Aquaculture by Farming System Racks, Stakes, Hanging Lines – for mussel and oysters Aquaculture by Farming System Long Lines – for seaweeds Aquaculture by Level of Inputs and Management Extensive - low stocking densities; - natural food only; - may use fertilizers Semi-intensive - moderate stocking density; - natural food plus supplemental feeds; - greater water chance rate; - may use pumps Intensive - High stocking densities; - regular feeding; - pumps and aeration Advantage of Aquaculture 1. Easy to operate – requires less labor 2. It can be integrated with other agricultural crops 3. Different culture system to choose from 4. Makes use of idle lands not suitable for agriculture 5. Fish has high feed conversion ratio 6. Fish has three dimensional medium 7. Fish is a cheap source of protein 8. Fish is a healthful food 9. Aquaculture is also a recreation and provides game/sport fishes 10. Allows improvement of strain by genetic engineering/ selective breeding Aquaculture by Species selection depends on ❑ Marketability ❑ Type of water in the area where farm is to be located ❑ Availability of Spawning Stock (for hatcheries) ❑ Availability of Seedstock (for grow-out) ❑ Availability of feed and other inputs ❑ Availability of technology ❑ Availability of capital Aquaculture by Trophic Level Considerations ❑ Herbivores or Omnivores – (Carp, Tilapia, Milkfish) Are generally easier to rear and may subsist on natural food. Even when fed, feed will not require high quantity of animal protein and is therefore cheap. Production cost is low, but market price is also low. ❑ Carnivores – (Shrimp, grouper, snapper) Require high amount of animal protien and is therefore more expensive to produce. Market price is higher (more than 10x) than for herbivores. Unit profit margin is generally much higher. Aquaculture by Site Selection depends on ❑ Target Environment ❑ Desire Production System and Farming System ❑ Species Aquaculture by Site Selection Basic Requirements ❑ sufficient water supply of good quality ❑ Free from harmful pollution (ex. agricultural, industrial and domestic) ❑ Accessibility ❑ Free from flooding, erosion, strong winds, strong wave action ❑ Availability of electrical power ❑ Proximity to source of inputs ❑ Proximity to market (depending on species and potential market) ❑ Soil quality (for ponds) – can hold water, can form stable dikes, non acidic