24. The Project Coordinator reported on the progress of project implementation under Phase II, covering the period January to November 1990. He provided a brief history and background of the project for the benefit of NCs of the new participating governments.
25. He explained that the Seafarming Development and Demonstration Project RAS/90/002 is in reality the second phase of RAS/86/024. Besides the original objectives, two additional components have been incorporated into its work programme: one for seaweed, the other to provide assistance to NACA during the interim period of its establishment as an intergovernmental organization. This has increased the number of participating governments from eight to 14, namely Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, Korea (DPR), India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Korea (Rep.), Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.
26. Reviewing its implementation history, the Coordinator said the current Phase II was approved in April 1990. The original duration of the Project, based on the Project Document RAS/90/002/B/01/12 approved by UNDP on 9 April 1990 was scheduled for 2.0 years from the estimated starting date January 1990 to December 1991, with UNDP input of US$ 1,120,000 and Government in-kind input of US$ 550,000.
27. There was a marked increase in Project activities in 1990 as a result of the preparatory work carried out in 1989. A significant effort which involved almost the entire Project staff was directed at implementing the one-year Regional Study and Workshop on Fish Disease and Fish Health Management sponsored by ADB. The recommendations of this Workshop and those of the workshops on Seaweed Production and Utilization and on Mollusc Sanitation and Marketing provided the basis for formulating programmes essential to the orderly development of aquaculture and management of aquatic resources, with heightened awareness of the importance of environmental protection and public health.
28. During the year the eight National Coordinators (NCs) of the original participating governments continued to actively support the project activities, while the new NCs began to be involved in information exchange and participated in workshop activities.
29. On training and workshop, two demonstration/training courses were conducted on the seafarming systems of Gracilaria seaweed (in China) and abalone (Korea DPR).
30. The Gracilaria training course and workshop on the processing of agar, algin and carrageenan was hosted by China, and implemented by the Bureau of Aquatic Products in collaboration with the Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Institute of Oceanology and Zhanjiang College of Fisheries, with 19 technical personnel from nine countries in Asia-Pacific participating.
31. The course on breeding and culture of abalone, implemented by the Shallow Seas Seafarming Research Centre, Kosong, in Korea (DPR), trained 16 technicians (including one farmer) from 7 Asia-Pacific countries. It was a well-organized and successful training course.
32. Planning for the training on pearl oyster farming and pearl culture scheduled for February 1991 in India, including the preparation of the training manual, has been completed.
33. In line with the objective to provide assistance to NACA the Project organized the FAO/TCP-assisted training course on Integrated Fish Farming which was conducted in China and attended by 28 technical personnel from 14 countries including one trainee from Italy and one from Haiti, as well as the on-going training course on Tropical Fish Disease Diagnostics at Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (UPM) in collaboration with UPM and IDRC with 9 participants. The Second Workshop for the analysis of results obtained from the regional research programme on Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome (EUS) and the Environment was also held, with participation of 22 key research personnel from 11 countries.
34. The successful implementation of the training courses and workshops has been largely due to the enthusiasm of the trainees and the full cooperation and dedication of the staff of the host institutions, he said.
35. Two planning meetings, involving the participation of international and regional experts, were organized to plan for the workshops on fish health management and seaweed culture and utilization.
36. The NACA/ADB Fish Health Management Workshop in Asia-Pacific which was hosted by the Government of the Republic of Korea and held in Pusan on 8–15 October 1990, was attended by representatives of 17 governments in the region, 10 international and regional resources persons and 20 representatives from various institutions and agencies.
37. The regional workshop on the culture and utilization of seaweeds was held in Cebu, Philippines on 27–31 August 1990, with 124 participants, 59 of which were from private industry. The research and development programme for fseaweed was developed during the workshop. In this connection, IFREMER France has expressed its interest in collaborating with the Project in implementing these aspects of the programme.
38. Information development and exchange continued to progress well. The project published 5 technical working papers, 3 workshop proceedings, 2 training manuals, one textbook, and produced one 60-minute instructional video (on abalone breeding and culture).
39. Technical criteria for site selection of Laminaria, mollusc, oysters, marine finfish netcage culture, and seafarming of Eucheuma were produced based on information furnished by the National Coordinators and other sources.
40. The Seafarming Resources Atlas, containing data from 7 countries, was published. The final editorial work on the textbook on Integrated Fish Farming in China, was completed by the Project. It was published in March 1990.
41. Research activities included mainly studies of regional application initiated with the Department of Fisheries of Thailand. These included studies on the hatchery and other aspects of oyster production, breeding and culture of tropical abalone, and Gracilaria seaweed. Project staff provided technical assistance to these studies.
42. The Project is developing programmes along environmental and fish health aspects of aquaculture. This is in view of the common concern for the environment highlighted by the various activities, particularly the Fish Health Management study, the Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome research, the workshop on Mollusc Sanitation and Marketing, and the workshop on Seaweed Production and Utilization. Proposals incorporating these aspects of seafarming and aquaculture are being developed.
The report of the Project Coordinator appears as Annex VII.
43. The national coordinators presented the reports on their respective national status and progress in seafarming development, including constraints and needs. They also assessed the contribution of project activities to the progress in seafarming in their respective countries. These reports, the full text of which appear in Annex VIII-1 to VIII-13, are summarized below:
BANGLADESH (New Participating Government)
With the exception of brackishwater shrimp farming in the coastal area seafarming is still not practiced, although great potential for culture of molluscs, seaweeds and other marine organisms exists in the country. A detailed survey of the resources and potential for their culture is the present day need of the country.
Brackishwater farming has rapidly developed during the last decade in the extensive lowlands. However, the culture method is largely extensive with a per hectare production of only 60–100 kg in traditional practices and 800–1000 kg in semi-intensive operations. The main culture species in coastal farms is Penaeus monodon. Culture operations are still dependent on collection of seeds from the wild.
There is no organized culture of molluscs in Bangladesh, even though several commercially important species are available, such as oysters, mussels and cockle.
Seaweed culture is also not practiced in the country, although 10 economically important species are available.
With the exception of 3,000 ha of shrimp farms developed and leased out to private farmers by the Department of Fisheries, the Government has limited control over the extensive private shrimp farms. Shrimp culture operations are expanding rapidly in Brackishwater Water Development Board (BWDB) polders or embankments built to stop saline water intrusion into paddy fields. This practice is allowed and registered by a local committee. Conflicts exist between paddy and shrimp farming in many areas and there is no clearcut policy on land use. However, the Government is currently formulating a policy for utilization of coastal lands.
To cater to the development of shrimp farming and to provide extension services to the shrimp culture industry in the country, the Government has established a 3000-ha shrimp estate and a large-scale shrimp hatchery and demonstration farm. Two more tiger prawn hatcheries and two demonstration farm-cum-training centres are being constructed in the two regions of the country.
Constraints and Needs
There is very little development so far in marine and brackishwater fish breeding and culture.
The bivalve molluscs are neither cultivated nor harvested on commercial scale from nature, because of their poor consumer appeal in the country.
There is no clearcut land use policy.
A detailed survey of the resources of molluscs, seaweeds and other non-traditional seafarming commodities and the potential for their culture is an urgent requirement.
CHINA (Original Participating Government)
Seafarming, which is a major activity in China, covered an area of about 423,200 ha in 1989, producing 1,575,639 tons. The 1990 production is expected to be higher.
China had actively participated in all activities of the Seafarming Project. Apart from providing the needed statistical data called for by the Project, Chinese scientists have participated in seven training courses and those workshops organized by the Project in various countries. A training course of the Project on Gracilaria and Seaweed Processing was hosted by China at Zhanjiang during August-September 1990. The interaction with scientists from various parts of the region and regional and international resource persons has enabled China to exchange much useful scientific information and technologies with other countries of the region. This exchange has contributed to seafarming development in China. China is very much interested in continuing to participate actively in all project activities.
The following are some areas which require collaboration and assistance:
Proposed to host the Training Course on the Breeding and Culture of Scallop and Sea cucumber in May 1991.
Participation in joint research programme on the culture and utilization of seaweeds.
Participation in follow-up programmes of the workshop on Fish Health Management, Seaweed Culture and Utilization and Mollusc Sanitation and Marketing.
Technical assistance to other countries in seafarming, particularly in respect of seaweeds.
Joint research by China and the Philippines on Eucheuma seaweed on the prevention of fish grazing, selection of high production strains and utilization of carrageenan.
Joint research on polyculture of Gracilaria seaweed with shrimps or fishes (by China, Thailand, Indonesia and others interested).
Training of one or two Chinese scientists in techniques of cultivation and utilization of Dunaliella. Experts to be invited to visit China and other interested countries for advice.
Depute Chinese scientists to USA and Europe for specialized training in the techniques of cultivation and utilization of Spirulina. Experts to be invited to China for advice.
Establish an Information and Reference Centre on economic seaweeds at the Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica.
DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA (Original PG)
The seafarming investigations in recent years were mainly aimed at solving technical problems encountered in the culture of abalone, mussel and scallop, with emphasis on abalone.
Seed production has been a constraint in increasing abalone production. Mortality is generally high in the early stages of metamorphosis. It was possible to raise survival rate to 22% during the last year, which enabled the release of 20,000 young abalone into the sea. In order to avoid the slow growth of spat during winter, gonad maturation has been successfully advanced by temperature increase. From its natural breeding during autumn, it was possible to advance the spawning to April by temperature manipulation.
Quality of abalone larvae depends on the quality of broodstock. Proper feeding would ensure good quality of broodstock. Artificial feed has been found to give better growth of abalone than the natural food of seaweeds. Culture of mussel (Mytilus edulis) is assuming increasing importance in the country. There are rich natural resources of mussel and scallop. The spat are obtained mainly from nature. Details regarding the spawning period and the proper time for spat collection have been well documented.
Constraints and Needs
There is a need for further research to enhance the survival rate of abalone during metamorphosis.
In order to avoid dependence on collection of seed from nature, it is necessary to develop suitable technologies for hatchery production of mussel and scallop seed.
Need to participate in joint research on Porphyra.
HONG KONG (New PG)
Seafarming in Hong Kong contributes only about 1.3% of total fish production by weight, but as much as 7.8% in value.
Farmed commodities include oyster and finfish. Oyster culture, which has a history of more than 200 years in Hong Kong, is carried out on intertidal mudflats by the traditional bottom culture method. Over the recent decades, oyster production has declined due mainly to insufficient availability of spat from nature on account of deterioration of oyster beds by aquatic pollution and land development activities. Culture from spat is now increasingly replaced by oysters imported from China for fattening purposes. The 1989 oyster production amounted to 137 tons, valued at US$ 0.6 million.
Marine finfish culture started only in the late '60s. Cage culture of finfish developed in an unrestricted manner in the '70s, that led to the enactment of the Marine Fish Culture Ordinance in 1980 which requires all mariculture operations to be practiced under licenses only in designated fish culture zones. The present finfish culture operations consist of raising groupers, breams, snappers and sea bass from fry or fingerlings to marketable size in netcages suspended from floating wooden rifts. The 1989 production amounted to 3020 tons, valued at US$ 23.3 million.
The fry required for culture are either collected from nature or imported from other countries. Mixed culture of grouper and sea bream or snapper in cages is commonly practiced for better foraging efficiency and utilization of cage space.
All the cage farms are intensively managed with high stocking density. The average yield during 1989 was 61 tons per ha of raft area.
The raft culture method for oysters, introduced in the '80s, has not proved popular among farmers, because of higher capital investment. Efforts are being made to find alternative mollusc species for culture within the finfish culture farms.
Research work carried out in the area of marine finfish culture is aimed at minimizing impacts of environmental changes and self-pollution effect and solving disease problems.
Constraints and Needs
Pollution of marine waters due to land development activities has led to deterioration of oyster beds.
Need to find alternative mollusc species to be cultured within the marine finfish culture farms, since the scope for further development of oyster culture is very limited. New culture systems need to be developed.
Need to minimize self-pollution effects of finfish mariculture. Some of the methods tried by Hong Kong seem to have good potential --- (a) use of various binders to reduce leaching from minced trash fish and (b) keeping detritus feeders (eg. crabs in trays) underneath the net cages.
Fish diseases are a major constraint to mariculture operations. Information on fish diseases and training in diagnostic methods are needed.
The oxygen budget model developed by the Department in collaboration with the University of Hong Kong can be used effectively for assessing the carrying capacity of a fish culture zone and consequently to determine the optimum number of rafts that can be installed in it.
INDIA (New PG)
The seafarming activities in India consist of hatchery production and rearing of crustaceans, molluscs, seaweeds, holothurians and sea ranching of shrimp and pearl oyster.
Crustacean culture is mainly centered around shrimp culture. Technologies for the hatchery production and rearing of commercially important shrimp species (Penaeus monodon, P. semisulcatus, P. indicus and Metapenaeus dobsoni) have been perfected. The private sector has taken up shrimp farming on a big scale. This has resulted in a production of nearly 40,000 tons of shrimps in coastal brackishwater areas in 1989.
The farming of crabs and lobsters is yet to pick up, in spite of the availability of needed technology.
The hatchery production of several species of molluscs (pearl oysters, edible oysters, clams and green mussel) has been perfected and some of them have been used for sea ranching (Meretrix, Paphia and pearl oyster). A species of top shell has been successfully bred under laboratory conditions. Bivalve seed collected from nature are cultured mainly in protected coastal areas, many of which are getting polluted. Therefore, these waters are being monitored to ensure good quality of the produce. Studies have also been carried out on shellfish biotoxins.
Seaweed culture, which was restricted to culture on coir rope nets in a restricted area of the mainland, has now been extended to the Minicoy Island, where the growth was decidedly faster. Culture of seaweeds was also tried on coir mats, with limited success and in tanks containing seawater.
Holothuria scabra has been successfully induced to breed and the larvae reared up to the adult stage but survival rates from juvenile to adult need to be improved. It is proposed to intensify seed production for use in sea ranching.
Constraints/Recommendations
Even though a number of seafarming technologies has been developed, they are yet to be taken up by entrepreneurs for commercial operations. There is, therefore, an urgent need for demonstration and pilot projects for effective transfer of technology.
There is a need for taking up artificial culture of seaweeds under controlled conditions, in view of uncertain production in open sea culture on account of environmental constraints.
It is necessary to take up hatchery production of Turbo and Trochus in view of the endangered status of their natural populations.
There is a need for evolving techniques for hatchery production of green and brown mussels, for which culture technologies have already been evolved.
Expert assistance is required for extending the technology of seabass breeding and culture to India.
There is a need to expand the hatchery production of sea cucumber seed and to solve problems of survival to ensure adequate production for sea ranching.
Processing, product development and marketing of seaweeds are a necessity for giving better returns to the farmers.
Diagnosis and treatment of finfish and shellfish diseases in hatcheries and farms require urgent attention.
Mariculture of finfishes is yet to make a headway in India. Expert assistance is required to introducing culture systems like net cage culture.
INDONESIA (Original PG)
Indonesia has immense resources for mariculture both in terms of availability of suitable culture areas and suitable cultivable organisms of high economic value.
Gracilaria and Eucheuma are the main seaweeds cultured in Indonesia. There is great potential for the expansion of seaweed culture. Areas identified suitable for seaweed culture cover some 22,600 ha. 17 finfish species have been identified as suitable for culture in floating netcages. They include the groupers, snapper, seabass, carangids and rabbit fishes. The molluscs cultured include edible oysters, pearl oysters, green mussel and cockle. Another Seafarming commodity is the sea cucumber, which is cultured in some parts of the country.
The National Seafarming Development Centre (NSDC), with 3 regional subcentres, is carrying out culture trials in seafarming and provides backstopping to farmers. The Government of Indonesia has established close links with other regional and international agencies, in order to effectively coordinate the Seafarming activities in the country. The NSDC has identified the priority R & D needs to promote mariculture.
Seafarming in the country is handicapped by the lack of technology. It relates to hatchery production of most of the cultured organisms and availability of seed, difficulties in marketing, and inadequate facilities.
The various training courses and workshops organized by the Seafarming Project have proved to be very useful to the development of seafarming in Indonesia. They have used the technology acquired in the training courses in conducting farmers' training in seaweeds and promoting seabass culture.
Constraints
Lack of reliable mass seed production techniques for cultured species.
Poor mollusc hatchery techniques.
Seaweed stocks deteriorating
Needs
Seed production
improve seed production technology through extension and training
develop hatchery and production of sea cucumber, pearl oyster and abalone
use of generative (vegetative) and tissue culture in producing seaweed seedstock
Marketing
establish marketing development programme for seafarming products in the region
Credit
production loan scheme for small farms to develop farming
REPUBLIC OF KOREA (Original PG)
The National Fisheries Research and Development Agency (NFRDA) succeeded in producing significant quantities of seed of several seafarming commodities, such as abalone, kuruma shrimp, large shrimp, blue crab, flounder, sea squirt, and sea urchins. It was also able to provide considerable number of fertilized eggs of flounder and red sea bream and develop seedling production technology for 11 species in 1989 and 9 species in 1990.
Studies have been carried out on the selective breeding and genetics of two finfish and three mollusc species, particularly in regard to development of triploids, and also on inherited characters and cell fusion in Porphyra.
Filtration facilities for fish culture in closed system and assorted feeds for finfishes have been developed and research carried out on culture techniques of Meretrix lusoria and the seaweed Hizikia fusiforme and on disease diagnosis and treatment in seaweeds and finfishes. Studies have also been carried out on the polyculture of seaweeds with molluscs.
The various training courses and workshops conducted by the Seafarming Project have helped greatly in furnishing new information, initiating new culture systems and improving existing culture techniques.
Recommendations and Needs
Establishment of a national fish health management center.
Research on:
relationship between environment, fish disease and human health;
fish disease diagnostics and quarantine systems.
There is good potential for the continued development of seaweed and micro-algae culture in Asia-Pacific region.
Upgrading of manpower, facilities and information flow to support the development of successful and sustainable mariculture industries.
MALAYSIA (New PG)
Aquaculture production in 1989, which showed an increase of 13.1% over that of 1988, formed only 6.0% of the country's overall production. Bulk of aquaculture production is derived from seafarming, which is dominated by cockle culture in sheltered mudflats. Cockles accounted for 76% of total aquaculture production. Other cultured molluscs of growing importance are green mussel, edible oysters and pearl oyster.
The increasing availability of hatchery produced fry/fingerlings of seabass has enabled the rapid expansion of seabass culture. The culture of groupers and snappers, is handicapped by the poor availability of their seed in nature and lack of technology as yet for their hatchery production.
The crustaceans used for seafarming are the tiger prawn, the banana prawn and the mangrove crabs. They are cultured in brackishwater ponds, and also in floating cages in sheltered bays. There is no significant seaweed farming in Malaysia at present, except for some small-scale culture of Eucheuma and Gracilaria.
Regulations concerning marine culture systems have been gazetted under the Fisheries Act of the country. The culture systems covered by these regulations include rack and pole culture, raft culture, cage and pen culture and on-bottom culture. The Government is also extending a number of incentives to promote mariculture.
Needs
Malaysia indicated the following major future seafarming research and development needs
Development of appropriate and cost-effective breeding and culture systems.
Aquaculture feed development.
Quality of fish/shellfish products.
Biotechnology and fish health management.
Development of new species for culture (Giant clam, abalone, sea-urchin and sea cucumber).
MYANMAR (New PG)
Aquaculture in Myanmar was initiated only during the late fifties and was largely done in freshwater. Mariculture was started only very recently. In spite of good potentials, mariculture has failed to attract the farmers till recently, mainly because of limited demand, low price and difficulties in marketing of mariculture products. However, the situation has changed for the better since 1988 on account of removal of restrictions and incentives. There is scope for taking up mariculture over an area of 100,000 areas.
At present, over 12,000 areas of tidal land have been transformed into shrimp farms. The yields are still very low (50–100 kg/ha) and advanced technology is therefore ungently needed for achieving higher production.
In order to promote the mariculture industry, the Department of Fisheries is planning to establish 3 seafarming research-cum extension stations on each coast. Their work will cover seed production and culture of crustacean, mollusc, finfishes and seaweeds, and also postharvest technology. A number of species with good potential for mariculture in Myanmar have been identified among finfishes, shellfishes, and seaweeds. These include the eel, mullet, seabass, grouper, shrimps, lobsters, crabs, oysters, pearl oyster, abalone, mussels, cockles, Gracilaria and Catenella.
Since there is practically no commercial hatchery production of seed in the country, the seed required are collected from the wild. Some success has been achieved in the hatchery production of seed of Penaeus and Macrobrachium. The breeders required are collected from the wild, as it has not been possible to raise breeders under controlled conditions.
The law enacted in 1989, “The Law Relating to Aquaculture” has proved helpful for the promotion of aquaculture.
Needs
The country requires advanced technology for higher production and introduction of new seafarming systems.
Requires help in raising broodstock and seed production under controlled conditions.
PHILIPPINES (Original PG)
Seafarming production in the Philippines has shown significant increase in yield as of 1989 on two major mariculture commodities particularly on seaweeds and mollusc species. Mariculture of finfish species is still on the verification stage and remained low in production as compared to capture fisheries. The research and development thrust are still focused on the possible transfer of applicable technologies and knowledge gained from international, regional and local technology exchange, the research verifications and refinements and the actual observations/demonstrations experienced by the technicians and the fish farmers themselves. The present and future trends in seafarming activities is being carried out through a multi-sectoral effort involving government and non-government entities with the external support of funding and research institutions. Several critical issues and management constraints on coastal aquaculture besetting the seafarming industry had been previously identified to include technical, environmental, ecological, legal, financial, post-harvest marketing and socio-economics and other policy issues. On these premises, the government has keenly considered coastal resources management as one holistic and unified approach to curb the depletion and degradation of coastal resources, with the objective of conserving, rehabilitating and attaining optimal use of the bay resources, while generally enhancing its productivity.
The Project has catalysed the inclusion of activities in Fish Health Management, Seaweed Production and Utilization, Mollusc Sanitation and Marketing, Seafarming Socio-Economics, Seafarming Resources Atlas, and GIS application in the priority programmes for fisheries.
All the aforecited projected activities were based on the major training programs and workshops conducted by the Project with priorities focused on the first three (3) activities as above mentioned.
Recommendations
On Fish Health Management
Future activities on Fish health Management be directed to meet the following priority issues:
Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome in freshwater fishes
Monodon baculovirus and bacterial infections in penaeid shrimp.
Pollution of aquatic habitats.
Fish health certification and quarantine.
Prevention of “ice-ice” disease of Eucheuma.
On Seaweed Production and Utilization
Follow-up actions on the workshop recommendations for the FAO to initiate action to review the Codex Alimentarius JECFA standard for carrageenan.
Design and construction of a small-scale pilot plan for agar/carrageenan production.
To include local establishment of seaweeds cultivation and processing to serve as pilot demonstration and training center (under training and extension program).
To determine the effect of different parameters on the properties of phycolloids.
Culture and processing techniques of Gelidiela, Caulerpa, Sargassum and Gracilaria.
Taxonomy, ecology and agar/carrageenan yielding capacity of some economically important red seaweeds.
Genetic studies on Eucheuma for evolving better strains.
Establishment of a seaweed research and development centre, as recommended by the Philippine government, academe and private sector, with the assistance of donor agencies.
On Mollusc Sanitation and Marketing
Establishment of a pilot demonstration center for mollusc sanitation.
Conduct of post-harvest and marketing studies on shellfish industry.
Technical assistance in the organization and implementation of a national shellfish sanitation programme.
On Seafarming Socio-Economic Studies
Appropriate design of economic model for data analysis.
Consultant services of an aquaculture economist to assist in the planning and design of a socio-economic study applicable to seafarming.
On Seafarming Resources Atlas
Continuous implementation, monitoring, evaluation and updating the atlas information.
Funding assistance in the documentation process, mapping and designing.
Training on computer application to Resources Atlas preparation.
On GIS Application in Seafarming
Possible funding assistance to the proposed “Comprehensive Information for Aquaculture Development and Management” prepared by BFAR.
Training on GIS computer application to Seafarming.
SRI LANKA (New PG)
The contribution of coastal aquaculture to total fish production of the country varied between 0.36% and 1.8% during 1980–88. This low production is mainly due to the fact that finfish aquaculture development is limited to research and pilot operations only. However, brackishwater shrimp farming industry is expanding rapidly.
At present, seaweed is collected from nature, dried and exported. There is no seaweed culture. However, an FAO/BOBP research project has been in operation since 1988 for assessing the applicability of Gracilaria culture technology in Sri Lanka. Spore setting and vegetative propagation are being tried in this experimental work.
There is as yet no commercial culture of molluscs. A research project was initiated in 1984 with IDRC assistance to test the feasibility of various types of mollusc culture suitable for artisanal application. Rafts and racks are being tried for culturing mussels and oysters, while bottom culture technique is bring tried for cockles.
Recommendations
The culture technology for mussels and oysters has to be developed.
Seed production technology for molluscs has to be developed.
The small-scale farmers should be provided with training on culture technology and to develop their managerial capability.
Training of technicians. Suitable training programmes in other countries where much progress has been made.
Training in product development and marketing
Carrying out resource surveys and socio-economic studies.
THAILAND (Original PG)
The exploration of coastal areas over the last several decades has resulted in rapid expansion of coastal aquaculture in the country. Even though Thailand has several species of finfishes, molluscs, crustaceans and seaweeds suitable for mariculture, well established culture practices at present are restricted to sea bass, grouper, green mussel, blood cockle, oyster and shrimp.
Even though the area under sea bass and grouper culture had increased during 1988 as compared to 1987, the per rai production had declined, which in the case of grouper was mainly due to inadequate fingerling supply. During the same period, there was a significant decline in blood cockle, production on account of deterioration of the culture grounds and inadequacy of spat. However, there was significant increase in mussel production and moderate increase in oyster production during the same period. There was a decline in the area used for netcage culture of shrimps from 1989 to 1990 on account of pollution. Shrimp culture is still strictly limited to Penaeus monodon, the average production being 1.5 kg/m2/crop. The overall increase in seafarming production was due to expansion of culture area and improvement in culture techniques and post-harvest technology.
The country is now in the process of taking up some new mariculture commodities, namely abalone, pearl oyster, scallop and seaweeds, making use of the technology transferred through the various activities such as the training courses organized by the Regional Seafarming Project.
Recommendations and Needs
Establish culture technologies and hatchery for propagation of scallop and sea cucumber.
Organize training on cockle seed propagation and management of spawning ground.
Recommend the establishment of a regional network on the control and diagnosis of diseases.
Environment control and coastal zone management of seafarming area.
Training on the culture techniques for the Gracilaria polycavernosa and other seaweeds such as Enteromorpha and Ulva.
Exchange of culture techniques on Eucheuma and other seaweed species.
Tissue culture and protoplast fusion studies of cultured species.
VIETNAM (New PG)
Vietnam has extensive areas suitable for mariculture and abounds with several seafarming commodities, namely, shrimps, crab, sea bass, grouper, mullets, milkfish, abalone, oyster, mussels, cockles, scallop, sea cucumber, turtles and the seaweeds Gracilaria, Porphyra and Sargassum. The culture practices include both monoculture and polyculture in brackishwater ponds and lagoons.
Shrimp culture still remains largely extensive, with a production range of 100–600 kg/ha/yr. Semi-intensive and intensive cultures attempted to a limited extent have yielded productions of 1.0–1.5 t/ha/yr and 4–10 t/ha/yr respectively. At present, there are more than 100 state-run, cooperative and private shrimp hatcheries, which have produced over 100 million fry in 1990. Live feeds and pelletised feeds have been utilized in culture operations.
Culture of marine crab has been tried in ponds and pens, while trials have been made in the farming of grouper, sea bass, mullet and milkfish, with the seed collected from the wild.
Preliminary attempts have been made on pearl oyster culture. Seaweed culture and processing are only in the developmental stage at present, the main culture techniques being pond and bottom culture. The yields are still low. The seaweeds harvested are partly used for production of agar and alginate and the remainder exported or used as food. Research work on fish and shrimp diseases and related environmental parameters is being carried out to a limited extent on account of lack of infrastructure and staff.
The Government of Vietnam has promulgated a law on conservation and development of fishery resources, which encourages development of seafarming.
Constraints/Recommendations/Needs
There is a need to improve hatchery production of shrimp fry to meet demands for growout culture.
It is proposed to take up studies on culture and conservation of several new seafarming commodities, such as abalone, mussels, scallop, oyster, cockle, pearl oyster, turtles, sea cucumber and several species of shrimp and finfishes.
There is an acute shortage of professional staff, and facilities for studies on finfish and shellfish diseases and related environmental parameters.
There is a need for applied research on seed production, culture techniques, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, reproduction and conservation of seafarming commodities.
Assistance from the Seafarming Project is required in terms of experts and equipment for organizing two in-country training courses in shrimp culture and seaweed culture.
