Annex VII (Cont.)

Attachment 6

COMPUTER UNIT

Plan of Work

November 1982 to April 1983

Appendix 5

1982 ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF RLCT, BANGKOK

(Dr. Thiraphan Bhukaswan)

I. INTRODUCTION

Since the last Advisory Committee Meeting, the activities of the Regional Lead Centre in Thailand (RLCT) have accelerated in all fronts. RLCT is now established on a firmer footing. Consolidation will be effected in 1983.

Earlier in the year, meetings were held to map out the programme of work related to research, training and information activities. Additional facilities and manpower requirements were also identified. These were provided by the Department of Fisheries (DOF) and NACA within the limits of their resources. Despite the constraints of operating funds, manpower and facilities the Centre staff, comprising personnel of DOF and NACA, continued to make positive progress. In a spirit of give-and-take, the excellent relationship established among the Centre staff has resolved minor impediments and contributed much to the effective implementation of the designated activities of RLCT.

During the year, research has again dominated the activities of the Centre. However, preparation for the initiation of the information activity has occupied much of the Centre's attention, apart from the time taken to organize and conduct the part of the training for participants of the second one-year course in July and August. The progress of implementing these activities is summarised in this annual report.

II. FACILITIES AND STAFF

In addition to the facilities located at the National Inland Fisheries Institute (NIFI) and the Chacheongsao Fisheries Station, DOF has provided the field facilities of the Suphanburi Fisheries Station for adaptive and production-oriented research. Details of these facilities are updated in the working paper NACA/WP/82/4.

Due to heavy responsibilities of a national nature, the national staff of the Centre has to be assisted by temporary technicians recruited under casual hire. In view of this constraint, additional professional staff has been assigned to RLCT on a part-time basis. The list of key members of national staff appears in Attachmentl.

III. RESEARCH ACTIVITY

In formulating a research work plan for the year, using the guidelines as contained in ADCP/REP/80/14, consideration has been given to the availability of technical personnel, operating fund and research facilities. Consequently, priority has been placed on adaptive and production-oriented research with modifications to the artisanal practices aimed at increasing yield per unit area and lowering of production cost through improved management and technology. By circumstances of resource constraints as well as by design, cooperation with small farmers are encouraged for greater impact and, therefore, more effective transfer of technology. This approach in system-oriented research appears to be the best solution under the RLCT circumstances.

Multidisciplinary research is encouraged whenever technical personnel and funds are available. Disciplinary studies on specialised topics are also conducted to fill identified knowledge gaps within a culture system.

In compliance with the recommendation of the Advisory Committee to direct research effort on technology development and improvement of the catfish and Macrobrachium culture systems, a technical meeting held in January 1982 decided to complete the on-going experiments while initiating research on the improvement of the catfish culture system. Production oriented studies on Macrobrachium would be held in abeyance until pond facilities were made available. Meanwhile, DOF would generate funding assistance from bilateral agencies to support the work on some of the designated culture systems. The meeting also agreed to include cage and pen culture of carp and tilapia in lakes, reservoirs and swamps in the list of RLCT aquaculture systems because of their national and regional importance.

Results of some experiments conducted last year have been analysed. These together with the results and progress of this year's studies are given under the following research topics:

1. Ricefield culture of Trichogaster (Team Leader: Jiamjit Boonsom)

   (i) Effects of organic fertilizer on the production of Trichogaster in disused ricefield

   The highlight of research is the doubling of yield of the sepat Siam (Trichogaster pectoralis) in ricefield culture, from a relatively high production of 850–930 kg/ha/8 months to 2,200 kg/ha/8 months. The work was conducted in collaboration with a farmer. With the understanding of the fish biology and the traditional culture system, the doubling of production per unit area was achieved without changing the artisanal practice, a pre-requisite in cooperative work with farmers, except for the initial application of chicken manure at a rate of 156 kg/ha/10 days for 60 days. The results, to be published as a working paper, are summarised in Attachment 2.

   This adaptive and production-oriented experiment has been repeated, and the yield is comparable with the earlier study. The results are being analysed for economic evaluation.

   (ii) Effects of organic fertilizer on the growth and survival of Trichogaster fry in nursery ponds

   The good will established in the production experiment has generated confidence in the farmer to agree to further modification of the culture system.

   In an effort to introduce a nursery component into the extensive system of Trichogaster culture, in which the whole operation of breeding, nursery and grow-out occurs naturally within a flooded and disused ricefield, an experiment on the effects of organic fertilizer on the growth and survival of fry in nursery ponds has been implemented. It involved the construction of small nursery ponds (1,000–1,600 m²) within a larger ricefield (150,000–200,000 m²) for fingerling production for subsequent release and grow-out. The main aim is to ensure better fry survival, and therefore a potential higher yield, through better management in the control of predation and easy access to food micro-organisms. Larger fingerlings would have a better escapement from predation when released into the larger grow-out field/pond. The success of the study would also enable the establishment of a guideline in estimating the number and size ratio of nursery to grow-out ponds based on fingerling production under different treatments of fertilization.

   As summarised in the table below the result showed that fingerlings in the nursery ponds fertilized with chicken manure had higher growth and survival than those in ponds enriched by inorganic fertilizer, emphasising the importance of applying the right kind of fertilizer for different stages of fish growth and feeding habits of fish.

   Fertilizer Treatment	Size				Fry survival per female brood fish (no.)
   	Weight (g)		Length (cm)
   	Mean	Range	Mean	Range
   Chicken manure	6.2	2–50	7.6	5.4–15.7	297
   Inorganic fertilizer	3.6	0.5–25	6.1	3.0–12.3	212

   
   

2. Catfish culture (Team Leader: Vijai Srisuwantach/Sopa Areerat)

   In accordance to the recommendation of the Advisory Committee at its first meeting, RLCT developed a research project proposal for catfish culture. It was based on field and literature survey along with consultations with researchers and farmers. These surveys suggest that one of the more obvious causes of high mortality in the artesanal practice of catfish farming is the problem of diseases, there are indications that the primary causative factors are high feeding rates and intensive stocking coupled with poor water management.

   Three experiments were conducted in an effort to (i) improve the existing practice of fry production, (ii) introduce a nursery component to the culture system for the production of larger fingerlings, and (iii) stocking of larger fingerlings aimed at shortening the grow-out phase and providing a more accurate estimation of the amount of feed to be given, thereby reducing unnecessary increase in organic loading and cost.

   The preliminary results, as summarised in Attachment 3, suggest that the adaptive approach is a correct one. A yield of 37.5 tons/ha/3 months has been achieved. It is within the range of yields obtained by farmers in ponds with continuous water flow.

3. Fermented trash fish as possible feeds for carnivorous fish species under culture (Team Leader: Mali Boonyaratpalin)

   The use of trash fish as a feed in the culture of catfish (Clarias batrachus) and snakehead (Ophicephalus) is a traditional practice in Thailand. Besides the problem of its seasonal availability in large enough quantity to cater to the needs of the industry, the quality of the trash fish transported over long distances may not be suitable for use as fish feeds. While nutritional studies will be conducted to reduce the dependency on trash fish through substitution with protein of plant origin, the present study is directed at determining the effectiveness of trash fish preserved by fermentation as a feed for Clarias.

   The development of such a feed would permit the expansion of the industry further inland. It would also lower feed cost, thereby making catfish culture more accessible to the small-scale farmers.

   The results (Attachment 4) suggest that fermentation with 5% salt can be used to preserve trash fish for several months without loss of nutritional value. When incorporated with vitamin B complex and C, growth response of catfish fry was better than those fed with fresh trash fish.

4. Macrobrachium culture

   (i) Determination of possible causes of high mortality in some Macrobrachium harchery tanks (Team Leader: John Colman)

   This experiment was conducted in 1981. It was an attempt to resolve the problem of inconsistency in hatchery production of postlarvae of the freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii). The results were inconclusive, while the Team Leader has already left the country without submitting a report. However, through discussion with some members of the multidisciplinary team a brief summary report has been prepared, and this appears in Attachment 5.

   (ii) Acute toxicity of Ammonia to Macrobrachium larvae
   (Team Leader: Maitree Duangsawasdi)

   As a sequel to the above study on Macrobrachium larval mortality, a disciplinary study was conducted on the toxicity of ammonia to the prawn larvae. The study is an excellent example of bioassay work which plays an important role in contributing to the understanding and development of Macrobrachium hatchery. The results appear in Attachment 6.

5. Pen culture of carp and tilapia (Team Leader: Sompong Hiranyawat)

   In view of the high priority placed on the maximum use of inland water resources such as swamps, lakes and irrigation reservoirs for increasing fish production and employment opportunities especially in the poverty-stricken areas in Thailand, a preliminary study on the pen culture of carp and tilapia has been conducted. Water hyacinth, otherwise known as pest of waterways and water impoundments, was utilized as supplementary feed along with commercial pellets. A production of 1.5 kg/m² was achieved. This compares favourably with those in pond culture but with very much less capital investment. The feasibility of water hyacinth as a supplementary feed for carp and tilapia has also been demonstrated.

   A paper on this study has been published in Thai but the summary in English appears in Attachment 7.

6. The effect of flowing water and grading on growth survival and disease incidence in Clarias macrocephalus culture
   (Team Leader: Sidthi Boonyaratpalin)

   This is a recent experiment which is still in progress.

IV. TRAINING ACTIVITY

During the first leg of their 10-week study tour which also took them to India, China and Hong Kong, the 16 participants of the second one-year post graduate Training Programme for Senior Aquaculturists spent 5 weeks at RLCT during 19 July - 20 August 1982. They were exposed to all of the major aquaculture systems in Thailand. The training was mainly practical, involving active participation in the induced spawning and larval rearing of Puntius gonionotus, Clarias macrocephalus and Pangasius sutchii. Field trips to Suphanburi, Chachongsao and Nakorn Sawan gave the participants the opportunity to interview farmers raising catfish (Clarias batrachus), snakehead (Channa striatus), siamese gourami (Trichogaster pectoralis), Pangasius and the giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii). In addition 6 days were spent at the Chachoengsao Fisheries Station studying in detail the techniques of breeding and larval rearing of Macrobrachium. Another 3 days were spent at the Rayong Fisheries Station studying techniques of induced spawning of sea bass, Lates calcarifer.

The RLCT training and research staff participated fully in imparting the knowledge of the various aquaculture practices in Thailand to the participants with the hope that this would facilitate technology transfer to other Asian countries. The success of the training, and especially the friendly relationship established among the participants and their fellow aquaculturists in Thailand is yet another example of regional cooperation and TCDC in action, reflecting the strengths and benefits of NACA.

V. INFORMATION ACTIVITY

With the recent installation of the HP3000 computer and the ADCP Aquaculture Information System (AQUIS) package, RLCT has initiated the computerized information activity. Some teething problems were encountered in the operation of the computer hardware, including the stabilizer but these are expected to be resolved shortly.

In preparation for implementing the RLCT information activity a computer/operation room has been specially renovated. Soon after its arrival, the computer was installed in June by the local Hewlett Packard agent, Messrs Unimesa Co. Ltd. The AQUIS software was installed in August by the ADCP System Analyst, Mr. George Th. Mantzarlis during his visit to RLCT.

In addition to the 10-day familiarisation on the use of the computer, AQUIS and MINISIS in FAO Rome in October 1981, the five information personnel (comprising two aquaculturists, one system manager, one system programmer and one system operator) also received a one-week comprehensive training conducted by Mr. Mantzarlis on the operation of the computer. The topics covered included an introduction to MPE (basic operation), editor, file system, programme development, job control language, utilities and data management packages. Practical exercises on data input, modification, retrieval, deletion and reporting were also given. In the course of these exercises the RLCT information staff contributed suggestions which were later incorporated into the two manuals prepared for users and operators.

The RLCT System Programmer also attended a 5-day course on “A Programmer's Introduction to HP3000” in July 1982. Arrangement is also being made for the System Manager to attend a one-week formal training on “System Management and Operation” in June 1983 in Singapore.

RLCT has signed the Agreement with IDRC recently on the use of MINISIS for bibliographic information. Training on its use will be organized and conducted by IDRC early 1983 in Bangkok.

In the meantime, data collection of aquaculture operations using the AQUIS Technical Data Input Forms has started. Initially, data on the Thai fish culture systems will be collected from reports, files on experiments and recent technical papers published in Thai and English. As manpower is limited there is a need to recruit university students under casual hire to do the work.

VI. RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER AGENCIES

In view of the constraints of operating funds and manpower the Department of Fisheries has obtained support from bilateral sources to conduct research on the technology development of some of the NACA designated culture systems presently not being implemented. These sources are ADB, IDRC, ICLARM, World Bank and other donor governments. These efforts will be continued. The results of such work will be disseminated to participating governments through the mechanism of NACA.

VII. PROPOSED PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES FOR 1983

1. Research

   Within the limits of its resources RLCT will:

   1. Continue to complete its studies on the improvement of the artisanal practices of catfish and Trichogaster culture systems through adaptive and production-oriented research:

   2. implement grow-out experiments on Macrobrachium using similar adaptive approach in cooperation with farmers:

   3. conduct disciplinary studies on:

      • alternate feed sources for catfish and snakehead
      • the use of urine from pregnant women on the induced breeding of snakehead and Clarias species

      • fish health in relation to the culture systems of catfish, snakehead and Macrobrachium

   4. continue with the studies on the use of pens and cages in impoundments for nursery and grow-out components of the carp and tilapia culture systems;

   5. document the “State of the Art” for all aquaculture systems designated to RLCT, including experimental results, if any, for distribution, training and preparation for the production of audio-visual aids.

2. Training

   RLCT will continue to provide training on aquaculture systems as practised in Thailand to future participants of the one-year Training Programme for Senior Aquaculturists. Continuing effort will be made to improve the RLCT training capability. Short-term training courses on the technology of catfish and Trichogaster culture will also be conducted when studies on these systems are successfully completed.

3. Information

   Priority will be placed on collecting numeric and alphanumeric data on aquaculture operations in Thailand. Upon the completion of the MINISIS training course efforts will also be directed at documenting bibliographic information. It is proposed to commence information dissemination in mid 1983 in collaboration with its sister lead centre in the Philippines. For this purpose, the host institution will initiate action to generate support from bilateral sources to improve its information services. Meanwhile, research results will continue to be published and disseminated through the channels of working papers, newsletters and progress reports.

VIII. MAJOR PROBLEMS

Limitations of operating funds, manpower and facilities have continued to impede the effective implementation of RLCT activities. While actions have been taken by the host institution to provide additional operating funds and facilities, these will not be adequate to implement the proposed activities of RLCT. Additional funds must be provided to enable the hiring of temporary technicians/students to assist in research under close supervision of RLCT research staff who also have other heavy responsibilities and duties.

It is strongly recommended that the post of Aquaculturist (Research) be re-instated in RLCT. While the NACA Coordinator has provided the leadership by directly involved in the planning and implementation of all RLCT activities it will be difficult for him to sustain this effort without the assistance of an experienced international staff specifically assigned to RLCT. The services of two suitable Research Associates under the FAO Associate Experts Scheme are also required to assist in the research, information and training activities.

IX. CONCLUSION

In conclusion, it is gratifying to report that the major activities of RLCT are now well underway. Despite resource constraints and the initial teething problem, including language, steady progress is being made. This is largely due to the close cooperation among the RLCT staff, both national and international. RLCT is now looking forward to closer interaction with other lead centres, as well as national centres to be established, through exchange programmes so that the objectives of NACA can be achieved at the shortest possible time.

Attachment 1

List of National Staff at RLCT

¹ All personnel also involve in training.
² Also involves in information activity.
³ RLCT Operation Coordinator.

Attachment 2

Ricefield Culture of Trichogaster
(Team Leader: Jiamjit Boonsom)

The Siamese gourami (Trichogaster pectoralis), ‘pla salid’ in Thai or ‘sepat siam’ in Malay is endemic in Thailand and occurs elsewhere in Southeast Asia. It is caught in shallow and still water of swamps, lakes, ‘Khlong’ (canals) and seasonally in rice fields, and is usually salted and sun-dried before being utilized as food. It was a traditional food fish and has been consumed in the country for hundreds of years. Being also a popular food fish in Southeast Asia, technology improvement of its culture system will have regional application.

Ricefield culture of Trichogaster was introduced in 1954 in the coastal provinces of Samutprakarn and Chachoengsao, about 30–50 km from Bangkok as a consequence of poor rice production resulting from acid soil and seepage of seawater. It is not an integrated rice-fish culture in the true sense, but rather the replacement of paddy farming with fish culture which has been found to yield a higher economic returns per unit area. The air-breathing Trichogaster was selected for culture not only because of its traditional status as a food fish but also its hardiness and tolerance to environmental changes.

The culture of Trichogaster has increased markedly over the years. In 1962 there were about 800 farms covering an area of 1,600 ha. In 1979 the number of farms increased to 4,495 of 21,000 ha in total area producing about 9,820 tons. The present production is in excess of 10,000 tons valued at ฿ 105 million (US$ 4.6 million)

The culture system is extensive and the practice is artisanal. It comprises the stocking of broodfish, the regular mowing of emergent vegetation which serves as green manure and the harvesting of fish by draining after 8 months from initial stocking. The whole operation of breeding, nursery and grow-out occurs within a flooded and disused paddy field, modified into a large pond (ranging from 3–20 ha in size) by construction of a peripheral ditch and an enlarged dike. Broodfish of about 100 gm each stocked in the ditch of 3 m wide and 80 cm deep at a rate of 1 pair/16 m² are stimulated to spawn by flooding the field to a depth of 30 cm over the central platform. Bubble nests could be seen at the surface among the emergent weeds a few days later. There is little management, with no measures taken to exclude the entry of carnivorous fish species such as the snakehead, Chana striatus which decimate stock. As a result, production is low, averaging about 500 kg/ha. Production of 850–1,000 kg/ha is regarded as a bumper crop by the farmers.

In order to demonstrate the possibility of increasing production through minor technological and management input without drastically changing the traditional practice, a pre-requisite in initial collaborative work with farmers, an adaptive research has been conducted. It was also intended to serve as an interim measure to generate more interest in a multidisciplinary approach towards system-oriented research.

The preliminary study involved the application of organic fertilizer (chicken manure) to stimulate a more rapid production of micro-organisms needed as food for the fry and fingerlings during the nursery period of the farming cycle, until such time when the cut grass, through a slower decomposition process, could release the required nutrients for pond enrichment. The study was conducted in a 2.9-hectare pond, formerly a disused paddy field. While the farmers continued with his usual traditional practice, chicken manure was added every 10 days for 2 months at a rate of 156 kg/ha. Initial application commenced 3 days after stocking of broodfish. Although the designated routine monitoring of biological and physico-chemical parameters, including an analysis of gut contents of fry and fingerling has not persisted throughout due to manpower constraints, the total fish yield of 6,382 kg obtained for the 8-month culture period has been encouraging. This amounts to a production of 2,200 kg/ha, more than double the normal production achieved by the farmer.

The harvested fish comprised 6,030 kg (94.50%) of Trichogaster and 352 kg of extraneous fish made up of snakehead (261 kg), catfish C. macrocephalus (21 kg) and climbing perch, Anabas testudineus (20 kg). Gross income from the sale of the fish totalled ฿ 73,976 (US$ 3,230). After deducting the operation cost including the farmer's salary of ฿ 11,880 (US$ 520) for the culture period and the annual depreciation cost of farm equipment, the farmer received a net profit of ฿ 47,376 (US$ 2,070).

Goodwill has thus been established.

Attachment 3

Catfish Culture
(Team Leader: Vijai Srisuwantach/Sopa Areerat)

In accordance to the recommendation of the Advisory Committee at its first meeting, RLCT developed a research project proposal for catfish culture. It was based on field and literature survey along with consultations with researchers and farmers. These surveys suggest that although one of the more obvious causes of high mortility in the artesanal practice of catfish farming is the problem of diseases, there are indications that the primary causative factors are high feeding rates and intensive stocking coupled with poor water management.

Experiments were conducted in an effort to (i) improve the existing practice of fry production, (ii) introduce a nursery component to the culture system for the production of larger fingerlings, and (iii) stocking of larger fingerlings aimed at shortening the grow-out phase and providing a more accurate estimation of the amount of feed to be given, thereby reducing unnecessary increase in organic loading and cost.

The traditional culture system consists of stocking 1–3 cm fry in high densities (200–300/m²) and harvesting 4–5 months later. It is not possible to accurately estimate the number of fish in the pond during the grow-out period since mortality rates are highly variable (60–90%) during the early stages after stocking. This often results in overfeeding the fish, causing poor water quality due to high concentrations of decomposing organic material. This further aggravates the problem, increasing the risk of a disease outbreak.

The two preliminary studies, (a) comparative study on the effects of stocking larger catfish fingerlings on yield and economic returns, and (b) comparative study on the effects of organic fertilizer on the survival of catfish fry, were conducted at the Suphanburi Inland Fisheries Station. The nursery experiment was for the production of larger fingerlings as stocking materials for the grow-out experiment. It was also aimed at introducing another economic component into the catfish culture system. Due to initial teething problems of an organizational nature these experiments were not implemented in accordance to expectation, and will have to be repeated. Nevertheless, despite the wide range of size variation of the stocking materials for the grow-out experiment, including a high percentage of fish suffering from scoliosis (a nutritional disease), a yield of 37.5 tons/ha was achieved within 3 months. The mortality rate was 30% and there were no disease problem. Hydrogen sulphide was not detected at the pond bottom, the mud of which had a firm texture. The yield was within the range of yields obtained by farmers in ponds with continuous water flow.

The seed production phase of the catfish culture system is quite well developed in Thailand. By capitalizing the knowledge of its breeding biology and behaviour, many farmers are able to breed catfish in suitably prepared ponds with no major problems. The fry of about 1 –1.2 cm in size are collected from their nests in the hatchery pond and transferred to nursery ponds. They are raised for 12 days on minced trash fish and rice bran, and sold to grow-out farmers at a size of about 3 cm for US$ 0.50 per 100. Harvest is by draining, with the fry collected in a bag-net placed at the pond outlet. The fry are then transferred and held in hapas for sale to grow-out farmers directly, or to dealers for further handling and distribution. Although there are some variations in this aspect of seed production, these are more of an exception than a rule. The nursery ponds are then refilled with water, to be ready to receive the next crop of larvae from the breeding pond. On the average, about 10–12 crops of fry are produced within a breeding ‘season’ of 8–9 months, from February to October.

Apart from the usual practice of liming and eradication of predators, the nursery ponds are not fertilized to generate production of natural food needed for the first feeding of fry. Heavily dependent on prepared feed, it is not surprising therefore that survival rate of the fry is low, about 20–30% per crop. However, at an average production of 4.5 million/ha/year and a gross income of US$ 22,500 coupled with low operating cost and high market demand, there is no economic pressure on the seed farmers to alter the traditional practice of fry production to facilitate the grow-out operation.

In order to demonstrate to the catfish seed farmers that the introduction of minor technological input without changing drastically the artesanal practice could increase fry survival, another ad hoc experiment was conducted in cooperation with the seed farmer. The results obtained were encouraging. Catfish fry grown in pond fertilized with chicken manure are larger and have a higher survival rate (59%) than those reared in unfertilized pond (35%). Similarly, the gut contents of fry from the fertilized pond have a much higher concentration of food organisms than those from the unfertilized pond, suggesting a greater availability of natural food in the fertilized pond.

Attachment 4

Fermented Trash Fish as Possible Feeds for Fish under Culture
(Team Leader: Mali Boonyaratpalin)

The use of trash fish as a feed in the culture of catfish (Clarias batrachus) and snakehead (Channa Striatus) is a traditional practice in Thailand. Besides the problem of its seasonal availability in large enough quantity to cater to the needs of the industry, the quality of the trash fish transported over long distances may not be suitable for use as fish feeds. While nutritional studies will be conducted to reduce the dependency on trash fish through substitution with protein of plant origin, the present study is directed at determining the effectiveness of trash fish preserved by fermentation as a feed for Clarias. The development of such a feed would permit the expansion of the industry further inland. It would also lower feed cost, thereby making catfish culture more accessible to the small-scale farmers.

In the experiments carried out todate, feed mixture of ground trash fish and rice bran in a ratio of approximately 70:30 were allowed to ferment. Salt was added to control the rate of the fermentation process and the growth of spoilage bacteria. Two concentrations of salt, 2.5% and 5.0% were used. The 2.5% salt in the feed mixture exhibited greater and faster growth of the total lactic bacteria that caused a pH drop from 5.68 to 4.83, from the second to the fourth day of the fermentation process, while feed with 5.0% salt showed lesser and slower lactic bacterial growth with pH drop from 5.65 to 4.65 from the third to the tenth day of fermentation.

The proximate analysis of fermented feed, such as ash, carbohydrate, fat and protein contents were not significantly different from that of the non-fermented feed mixture. There was, however, a gradual decrease of Vitamin B₂ and B₁₂ levels. Vitamin C was not present in either feed.

Feeding trials were conducted on Clarias stocked in experimental tanks as fingerlings averaging 10.3 g in weight. They were fed with the 3 feeds twice a day for 4 months. Fish fed the non-fermented feed gained 70% more in weight in the first two months than those fed with either of the two fermented diets treated with 2.5% and 5% salt. After two months all fish suffered from nutrient deficiency, exhibiting hemorrhagic septosema at the skull and pectoral fin, lesion on the isthmus, scoliosis and loss of appetite. For remedial purposes Vitamin B complex (B₁, B₂, B₃ and B₆) and Vitamin C were added to the feeds. One group of fish was given feeds incorporated with Vitamin B complex only, and another was given feeds with Vitamin B complex plus Vitamin C, while the third group of fish was fed with feeds containing no vitamin to serve as control. The results on percentage of weight gain, survival, and fish with symptoms of nutritional diseases are tabulated below:

* All diets contained 30% rice bran

The addition of B complex in the fermented feeds improved fish growth but not for fish fed with non-fermented feed, while all feeds incorporated with Vitamin B complex and C demonstrated positive effect on growth performance in fish. Growth rates of fish fed with fermented feed containing 5% salt and Vitamin B complex and C compared favourably with that of fish fed with trash fish containing similar Vitamins. All the nutritional deficiency symptoms except scoliosis were eliminated only in the fish fed with diets containing Vitamin C and B complex, suggesting the importance of incorporating Vitamin C in fish feeds. Similarly, the experimental fish for the second 2-month period fed separately with the three different diets suffered no mortality when Vitamin C and B complex were incorporated into the feeds.

Attachment 5

Determination of possible causes of high mortality in some Macrobrachium hatchery tanks

(Team Leader: John Colman)

Inconsistency in hatchery production of postlarvae of the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii has created problems in the implementation of development programme for extending its culture to poverty-stricken provinces in Thailand. Hatchery production often falls short of the target because of larval mortality in both the government and private hatcheries. Although the hatchery technique is well-established in Thailand, with a total annual production of about 30 million, yet some of the hatchery tanks experienced high larval mortality while others within the same hatchery and the same larval production cycle have high larval survival. Difference in the intrinsic physical properties of the tanks themselves, if any, could not be the cause since some tanks with high larval survival rates have also experienced total larval mortality in previous production cycles and vice versa. Some aquaculturists have attributed the cause of mortality to adverse water quality while others attributed it to parasites and diseases, based on individual experiments conducted independently of each other. A multidisciplinary team comprising a hatchery aquaculturist, a water chemist, a microbiologist (fish diseases) and a parasitologist was, therefore, set up to determine the cause under one experiment designed for the purpose.

The experiment was conducted at the Central Giant Freshwater Prawn Research and Training Centre, commonly called the Chachoengsao Fisheries Station. 50,000 larvae of 7–10 days old were reared in 7 one-tone tanks for one month at 12 ppt salinity. Water from a supply tank was subject to 3 different treatments:

1. Supply water filtered through glass wool

2. Filtered through activated carbon

3. Filtered through activated carbon and EDTA

4. Control - unfiltered water

All tanks were treated with oxytetracyclene to minimize bacterial infestation. This proved to be quite effective for the bacterial populations found on the larvae were very low. Four species of protozoa were found on the prawn larvae: Carchesium, Zoothamnium, Epistylis and Vorticella. The same species were found in much greater numbers on the shell of Artemia cysts remaining in the tank after hatching.

No significant differences were found in the infestation of post larvae by parasites and bacteria between filtered water and the controls. Concentrations of the bacteria Aeromonas hydrophylla in the tank were greater in treatments (b) and (c), reaching 10,200 colonies/ml at the end of the 1-month experiment. Survival however was significantly greater in the tanks filtered with activated carbon and EDTA. No significant difference in oxygen, pH, temperature between the tanks were observed. The ranges were 6.1 – 6.9 ppm, 7.5 – 8.5 and 25 – 33.5°C respectively. Total ammonia levels were low (.01 – .1 ppm) throughout the experiment in all tanks. The reasons for the high mortalities observed in treatments (a) and (d) are not evident from the data collected. Further work is necessary to test the effectiveness of activated carbon filters on a larger scale.

However, there is also the question of quality of the berried females which will have to be investigated as possible causes of inconsistency in larval survival.

Attachment 6

Acute Toxicity of Ammonia to Macrobrachium Larvae

(Team Leader: Maitree Duangsawasdi)

High mortalities during the larval rearing of the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii sometimes occur in the hatchery tanks. In an effort to determine possible causes of this mortality and to introduce remedial measures to the culture system the RLCT conducted a multidisciplinary research on water quality, bacterial and parasitic infestations in the hatchery and rearing ponds to determine their relationship to the survival of larvae and post larvae. This study was inconclusive.

As a sequel to this multidisciplinary research, a specilised study was made of the acute toxicity of ammonia to Macrobrachium larvae and post larvae using the static bioassay method. A comparison was made in the tolerance of larvae 5, 12, 23 and 35 days old to 11 different concentrations of ammonium chloride added to experimental tanks. The toxicity was measured by calculating the median 48 hours lethal concentration (LC₅₀) of unionized ammonia, the most toxic form of ammonia. This is the concentration at which 50% of the larvae of a given age would die within 48 hours.

For concentration less than 33.8 ppm total ammonia (1.1 ppm unionized NH₃) no larvae died after 48 hours while for concentrations greater than or equal to 126.14 ppm total ammonia (2.94 ppm unionized NH₃) all the larvae died in 48 hours. Therefore only mortalities in the tanks with concentration in this range were used to calculate the LC₅₀ values. The 48 hours LC₅₀ values were calculated at 1.53, 1.85, 2.05 ppm for 5, 12, 23 days old larvae respectively. However, the LC₅₀ decreased to 1.77 ppm of unionized ammonia for the 35 days old larvae. This may have been due to the lower calcium levels found in freshwater than in brackishwater. The 5, 12, and 23 days old larvae were kept in brackishwater with a salinity of 12 ppt while the 35 days old post larvae were raised in their natural environment of freshwater. Studies on catfish (Clarias sp.) have shown an increased tolerance to unionized ammonia when Ca concentration in the water were increased. Clarias batrachus increased its tolerance to total ammonia when salts were added to the water. The 48 hour LC₅₀ increased from 15.8 ppm total ammonia (3.4 ppm unionized ammonia) to 20.9 ppm when 500 ppm NAC1 was added and to 44.3 ppm when 500 ppm CAC1₂ was added instead.

The greater effectiveness of calcium chloride was attributed to its ability to increase the ionic strength of the solution more than sodium chloride, decreasing the percentage of unionized ammonia in the solution. The increased tolerance to ammonia may also be due to the fixation of Ca++ at the gill epithelium of the fish preventing the absorption of ammonia.

Attachment 7

Pen Culture of Carp and Tilapia

(Team Leader: Sompong Hiranyawat)

In view of the high priority placed on the maximum use of inland water resources such as swamps, lakes and irrigation reservoirs for increasing fish production and employment opportunities especially in the poverty-stricken areas in Thailand, a preliminary study on the pen culture of carp and tilapia has been conducted. Water hyacinth, otherwise known as pest of waterways and water impoundments, was utilized as supplementary feeds along with commercial pellets.

Tilapia (T. nilotica), rohu, bighead and grass carp were stocked in 4 × 200 m² pens in the Bung Pai Kek Reservoir in Suphan Buri Province. Stocking densities and sizes are shown in Table 1. The fish were fed commercial pellets consisting of 23% protein at a rate of 1.5 – 2% body weight per day. Water hyacinth was chopped into small pieces and then ground with 5 kg rice bran to produce a soft pellet-like mixture with good water stability. Water hyacinth was initially fed at a rate of 20% body weight per day in two of the pens and 10% in the other two. This was reduced to 10% and 5% and then to 5% and 2.5% respectively when it was observed that some water hyacinth feeds remained uneaten at the bottom, and water quality was beginning to deteriorate. When fed at a rate of 2.5% all of the water hyacinth was consumed. All feed was broadcast from the shore towards the center of the pens. Pellets were fed in the morning only, while the water hyacinth mixture was fed in the afternoon.

Table 1 - Stocking data for pen culture experiment.

After 6 months a total of 1,159 kg was harvested from the 4 ponds averaging 290 kg/pen (range 213–357) or 1.45 kg/m². A total of 3,428 kg of water hyacinth, harvested from an area covering 700 m² of water surface, and 1,410 kg of pellets and 800 kg rice bran (i.e. 2,210 kg of commercial feed) were fed to the fish, giving an average FCR of 1.9.

Growth rates of the fish compared favourably with those found in pond culture. Bighead carp increased from 185 gm to 1,368 (range 800–2,000 gm). Rohu increased from 12 gm to 460 gm (range 250 – 720 gm), tilapia from 5 to 320 gm (150 – 1,050 gm) and grass carp increased from 2.5 gm to 45 gm.

The average survival rate of fish was 64 percent with bighead carp having the highest survival (97.5%) and grass carp the lowest (12%). The low survival of grass carp probably resulted from the fact that its stocking size was small compared with the other species. Some of the fish may have escaped from the pen through the 1.5 cm mesh. Survival of rohu was 82% and of tilapia 78%.

The feasibility of water hyacinth as a supplementary feed for carp and tilapia culture in pens has been demonstrated in this experiment. Further research is needed to determine the optimal stocking ratio and the most economic combination of commercial pellets and the water hyacinth mixture.

Appendix 6

Aquaculture Information Programme ¹

Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia (NACA)

F.Y. CHEN
NACA Coordinator
Regional Lead Centre in Thailand, Bangkok

Introduction

NACA is an FAO/UNDP regional project for the establishment of a Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia. It constitutes the Asia-Pacific component of the global network of regional aquaculture centres established and coordinated through the Aquaculture Development and Coordination Programme (ADCP). It is an interlinked system of Asian fish culture institutions working in close cooperation on the development of technologies, man-power and information exchange required for achieving increased fish production through aquaculture in the region.

Two kinds of centres, regional aquaculture lead centres and national aquaculture centres, are structured in the Network to undertake activities in research, training and information development. Four regional lead centres have been established. These are located at the National Inland Fisheries Institute (NIFI) in Bangkok, Thailand; the Freshwater Aquaculture Research and Training Institute (FARTC), Dhauli (Bhubaneswar), India; the SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department, Tigbauan (Iloilo), Philippines; and the Asia-Pacific Regional Research and Training Centre for Integrated Fish Farming, Wuxi, China. National centres will be established later for linkage with these regional centres.

For the purpose of this Seminar on Fishery Information Science in Southeast Asia this paper gives an account of the NACA aquaculture information programme, the implementation of which is still at its initial stages.

ADCP Aquaculture Information System (AQUIS)

The NACA information programme is part of the inter-regional aquaculture information programme coordinated by ADCP, which has, as its main objective, the implementation of a strategy for rapid development of aquaculture in the Third World. The major types of information essential to aquaculture development have been identified as numerical data on aquaculture operations and bibliographic information. The numerical data, regarded as more important in development planning, are often dispersed and inaccessible in unpublished reports or publications in local languages. The main information activity of the NACA regional Lead Centres, as well as other regional centres in different regions established under the framework of ADCP, will be directed, therefore, at the collection, processing, storage and dissemination of these data. Bibliographic information will also be collected from various sources for storage and retrieval using the MINISIS software offered by the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

¹ Presented at the SEAFDEC/IDRC Seminar on Fishery Information Science in southeast Asia, Bangkok, 16–20 August 1982.

The ADCP Aquaculture Information System or AQUIS is an integrated set of computer equipment and programmes. The Hewlett Packard 3000 has been selected for the system since it can also be used for research purposes. The AQUIS software consists of the AQUIS Technical Data System which handles alpha-numeric and numeric data, while the MINISIS software will be used for bibliographic information, subject to finalisation of arrangement with IDRC.

The HP computer system is being installed in the regional Lead Centres in Thailand and the Philippines, while its installation in the regional centres in India and China will be effected in 1983. It is expected that the AQUIS software will be set up in the centres in Thailand and the Philippines within the next few months, and in India and China in 1983. It is also expected that by 1983 the African Regional Aquaculture Centre in Port Harcourt (Nigeria) and the Latin American Regional Aquaculture Centre (CERLA) in Pirassununga (Brazil) will have installed the AQUIS for participation in the ADCP information programme along with NACA. With common hardware and software, the ADCP global aquaculture information system will ensure uniformity in the collection and exchange of data. Both numerical and bibliographic data collected and processed at any one centre will be stored in magnetic tapes, a copy of which will be distributed to each of the other centres so that data collected from all the centres can be retrieved at any one centre.

Information on the AQUIS Technical Data System, the MINISIS package and the methodology employed in the collection and dissemination of information as contained in the paper by Dr. T.V.R. Pillay, Programme Leader of ADCP, is reproduced here for the general interest of the Seminar participants. The complete text of the paper published in April 1982 by ICLARM is attached as Attachment 1.

“AQUIS Technical Data

This system creates and maintains a database compiled from different sources of information, such as reports, case studies, publications, etc.

The data are organized into so-called ‘Data Units’ consisting of ‘chapters’ which cover specific subjects such as geographic/climatic data, species, diseases, culture systems, economic data, etc. A Data Unit, which is identified by a unique code, is the lowest addressable part of the database. Its structure is flexible and the user may complete a data unit in various stages according to the availability of data. The data units can also be concatenated, thus allowing for the combined coverage of different species and different culture systems and/or different time intervals.

The basic characteristic of the system is that the data must be presented to the computer operator in a set of forms specially designed for the data entry.

The computer procedures are completely interactive and guided by the system itself. The user is prompted to respond to questions referring to the desired basic function (insert, modify, delete) or to auxiliary operations such as search and print.

Key data items such as species, culture systems, countries and regions are validated against ‘authority lists’, thus preventing the storage of erroneous search items.

All the computer programmes are written in FORTRAN, but also making use of the standard HP database management facilities and access methods.

MINISIS Bibliographic Information

MINISIS which will be essentially dedicated to the bibliographic information retrieval, is a database management system which runs exclusively on HP 3000 Family computers. Although the system was created primarily for use in a library environment, its structure does not limit it to library applications. As and when the trained staff in regional centres develop experience in its use, other applications of the package also may become possible. The aquaculture related data from the ASFA Data Base will be extracted by FAO and the information will be transmitted to Lead Centres on magnetic tapes to be converted to MINISIS format. Such information will be provided bi-monthly or trimestrally. The available back information on the aquaculture in the ASFA Database, which now is estimated to be around 6 to 8 thousand references, will also be provided in order to build up a good bibliographic time series to enable users to have access to the database back to 1978 publication year.

Collection and processing of data

The most difficult part of the endeavour is recognized to be the collection of appropriate data. Some of the efforts started earlier to identify unconventional literature are expected to be of some help. Although the input stations would be the regional centres, the participation of other national centres and agencies will also be needed to obtain data, and their assistance will be sought for this purpose. Besides finding existing sources of information, it may be necessary to undertake case studies to collect appropriate data.

The data collected will be entered in the AQUIS input forms, which will enable their consistency to be tested. The data can be stored only if they fit into the standard ‘Chapters’ of a data unit. The data will be transferred to magnetic tapes and each of the regional centres will receive a copy of each tape, ensuring that each one of the centres has an identical pool of total data for retrieval.

As in the case of numerical data, bibliographic information also will be partly based on existing compilations. FAO, in cooperation with some of its member nations, presently compile bibliographic information on aquatic sciences and fisheries. The Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Information System (ASFIS) includes also bibliographic information on aquaculture. ADCP is now assisting in the extension of this system. The Regional Aquaculture Centres will identify additional sources and prepare the relevant information in them in the ASFA formats. The ASFA unit in FAO will receive these and as mentioned earlier transfer them to magnetic tapes, for distribution to the Centres for running through HP 3000 computers for dissemination.

Retrieval and dissemination

The main users of aquaculture data are expected to be aquaculture planning and development agencies, investors, financing institutions and aquaculturists. Similarly the main users of bibliographic information are likely to be research and extension workers and scientific institutions. In the initial stages, the regional Centres would undertake to search for information (both data and bibliographic information) for users in the participating countries free of charge.

Data capture will be performed through the AQUIS query sub-system. The user may request the system to extract data according to search criteria related to any combination of species, culture systems, countries and regions The data extracted can be viewed and printed using the AQUIS reporting services. Retrieval of bibliographic information will also follow the same procedure. In both cases, each regional Centre will be able to retrieve the total information, based on inputs from the entire network of stations. Print-outs of information will be made available on request to users.

Although there are presently no plans to issue a centralized information bulletin, the regional Centres will endeavour to identify information of special significance in their respective regions and disseminate such information as widely as possible through appropriate means, including the publication of newsletters or bulletins.”

Training Programmes

In the preparation of implementing the information programme, training on the use of HP 3000 has been given to the following seven staff members of the NACA regional aquaculture lead centres in October 1981, in Rome.

Depending on the requirements of individual lead centres short-term formal training may be arranged for system manager and programmer by HP agents.

In-service training on the use of AQUIS software will be given to biologists, information and computer specialists at each of the lead centres by a System Analyst of the ADCP multidisciplinary team of experts. The training will concentrate on preparing numerical data in the AQUIS format for entry into the computer and on techniques for storing and retrieval. The system has been designed so that aquaculturists with no knowledge of computer programme can enter data into the computer, and search and print out data when they have learned the AQUIS commands. Guidance on the preparation of numerical data for the AQUIS format will also be given to aquaculturists of national centres and fisheries institutions of participating governments.

Arrangements will be made with IDRC to conduct a training course on the use of MINISIS software for bibliographic storage and retrieval.

General comments

The NACA aquaculture information programme is still in its early stages of implementation. It is expected that the main activity of collecting data will commence within the next few months. National agencies of participating governments and other regional and international agencies working towards fisheries development in the region will be approached to assist and participate in this activity. NACA therefore welcomes the opportunity to participate in this Seminar organized by SEAFDEC with the sponsorship of IDRC. It is hoped that, at the conclusion of our discussions, ways and means to bridge the gap between national requirements and the fishery information programmes of various agencies could be identified, including the role in which these organizations/agencies could play in contributing towards effective transfer of technology through appropriate information dissemination with minimum duplication of efforts. NACA looks forward to closer cooperation and collaboration in efforts to develop aquaculture information essential to rapid aquaculture development in the region.

Attachment 1

The ADCP Aquaculture Information System

T.V.R. Pillay
Programme Leader
Aquaculture Development and Coordination Programme
Fisheries Department
FAO, Rome

Major increases in aquaculture production in the near future are expected to be obtained through the transfer of existing technologies and their improvement. A free flow of the required information is admittedly of crucial importance in technology transfer to achieve aquaculture expansion worldwide. Therefore, the FAO/UNDP Aquaculture Development and Coordination Programme (ADCP), which has, as its main objective, the implementation of a strategy for the rapid development of aquaculture in the Third World, has undertaken the establishment of an interregional information system in cooperation with the Fishery Information, Data and Statistics Service of the FAO Fisheries Department.

Working Group on Aquaculture Information

As a first step, ADCP organized a meeting of the Aquaculture Information Group consisting of aquaculturists and information specialists in April 1979 in Rome, for the purpose of determining the types of conventional and unconventional information required for aquaculture development and formulating a coordinated programme of collection, processing and dissemination of information. The aquaculturists identified the types of information needed and where to find them. The information specialists discussed hardware and software required for processing, storage and retrieval of information. Besides aquaculture statistics, the collection of which on a continuing basis is now under the consideration of the Statistics Group in the FAO Fisheries Department, the two major types of information that are of importance are bibliographic information and data on aquaculture operations.

Of higher priority in development planning are numerical data on aquaculture operations, which lie buried mostly in unpublished reports or publications in local languages. The network of regional aquaculture centres established under the framework of ADCP and the national centres that will be linked to these in the future, was considered a suitable mechanism for collection, processing, storage and dissemination of data. The bibliographic information relating to aquaculture presently disseminated through the Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA) could be enlarged and also included in the system.

Aquaculture Information System (AQUIS)

Following up the recommendations of the Working Group, plans were formulated for developing a specialized aquaculture information system.

ICLARM Newsletter
Vol. 5, No. 2
April 1982

This gave birth to AQUIS. AQUIS is an integrated set of computer equipment and programmes which provide the services required for the systematic collection and dissemination of aquaculture data. With the assistance of a small team of analysts and programmers, the necessary input forms and a manual of procedures were prepared. The International Development Research Centre of Canada (IDRC) offered the use of the MINISIS software developed by them for processing storage and retireval of bibliographic information. The Hewlett Packard HP 3000 computer system was selected as the most suitable hardware for the regional lead centres, as it could also be used for research purposes, such as biological modelling, least-cost feed formulations and analysis of experimental data.

The computer hardware consists of Hewlett Packard processors. The peripheral units comprise video terminals for data entry and queries, mass storage devices for data storage, printers for online/offline prints and tapes for back-up functions and data exchange. The uniformity and exchange of data are assured by the compatibility of the equipment and the sharing of common software.

The hardware is presently being installed in the Regional Aquaculture Centres at CIFRI Dhauli (Bhubaneswar, India), NIFI, Bangkok (Thailand), SEAFDEC, Iloilo (Philippines), and Wuxi (China). It is expected that by early 1983 the African Regional Aquaculture Centre in Port Harcourt (Nigeria) and the Latin American Regional Aquaculture Centre (CERLA) in Pirassununga (Brazil), will also have the necessary equipment for participating in the information system.

The AQUIS software consists of the Technical Data System which is application-oriented and handles alphanumeric and numeric data, and the MINISIS package for documentation and bibliographic reference applications.

AQUIS Technical Data

This system creates and maintains a database compiled from different sources of information, such as reports, case studies, publications, etc.

The data are organized into so-called “Data Units” consisting of “chapters” which cover specific subjects such as geographic/climatic data, species, diseases, culture systems, economic data, etc. A Data Unit, which is identified by a unique code, is the lowest addressable part of the database. Its structure is flexible and the user may complete a data unit in various stages according to the availability of data. The data units can also be concatenated, thus allowing for the combined coverage of different species and different culture systems and/or different time intervals.

The basic characteristic of the system is that the data must be presented to the computer operator in a set of forms (AQUIS input forms) specially designed for the data entry.

The computer procedures are completely interactive and guided by the system itself. The user is prompted to respond to questions referring to the desired basic function (insert, modify, delete) or to auxiliary operations such as search and print.

Key data items such as species, culture systems, countries and regions are validated against “authority lists”, thus preventing the storage of erroneous search items.

All the computer programmes are written in FORTRAN, but also make use of the standard HP database management facilities and access methods.

MINISIS Bibliographic Information

MINISIS, which will be essentially dedicated to the bibliographic information retrieval, is a database management system which runs exclusively on HP 3000 Family computers. Although the system was created primarily for use in a library environment, its structure does not limit it to library applications. As and when the trained staff in regional centres develop experience in its use, other applications of the package also may become possible. The aquaculture-related data from the ASFA Database will be extracted by FAO and the information will be transmitted to Lead Centres on magnetic tapes to be converted to MINISIS format. Such information will be provided bimonthly or trimestrally. The available back information on the aquaculture in the ASFA Database, which now is estimated to be around 6 to 8 thousand references, will also be provided in order to build up a good bibliographic time series to enable users to have access to the database back in 1970 publication year.

Collection and Processing of Data

The most difficult part of the endeavour is recognized to be the collection of appropriate data. Some of the efforts started earlier to identify unconventional literature are expected to be of some help. Although the input stations would be the regional centres, the participation of other national centres and agencies will also be needed to obtain data, and their assistance will be sought for this purpose. Besides finding existing sources of information, it may be necessary to undertake case studies to collect appropriate data.

The data collected will be entered in the AQUIS input forms, which will enable their consistency to be tested. The data can be stored only if they fit into the standard “Chapters” of a data unit. The data will be transferred to magnetic tapes and each of the regional Centres will receive a copy of each tape, ensuring that each one of the Centres has an identical pool of total data for retrieval.

As in the base of numerical data, bibliographic information also will be partly based on existing compilations. FAO, in cooperation with some of its member nations, presently compile bibliographic information on aquatic sciences and fisheries. The Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Information System (ASFIS) includes also bibliographic information on aquaculture. ADCP is now assisting in the extension of this system. The Regional Aquaculture Centres will identify additional sources and prepare the relevant information in them in the ASFA formats. The ASFA unit in FAO will receive these and as mentioned earlier transfer them to magnetic tapes, for distribution to the Centres for running through HP 3000 computers for dissemination.

Retrieval and Dissemination

The main users of aquaculture data are expected to be planning and development agencies, investors, financing institutions and aquaculturists. Similarly, the main users of bibliographic information are likely to be research and extension workers and scientific institutions. In the initial stages, the regional Centres would undertake to search for information (both data and bibliographic information) for users in the participating countries free of charge.

Data capture will be performed through the AQUIS query sub-system. The user may request the system to extract data according to search criteria related to any combination of species, culture systems, countries and regions. The data extracted can be viewed and printed using the AQUIS reporting services. Retrieval of bibliographic information will also follow the same procedure. In both cases, each regional Centre will be able to retrieve the total information, based on inputs from the entire network of stations. Printouts of information will be made available on request.

Although there are presently no plans to issue a centralized information bulletin, the regional Centres will endeavour to identify information of special significance in their respective regions and disseminate such information as widely as possible through appropriate means, including publication of newsletters or bulletins.

Appendix 7

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING between the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) and the UNDP/FAO Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia (NACA) on
THE OPERATION OF THE REGIONAL LEAD CENTRE IN THE PHILIPPINES (RLCP)

1.0 BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Regional Lead Centre in the Philippines (RLCP) has been established under the conditions of agreement between the Philippine Government as the host government and UNDP/FAO in the project document on the Regional Project RAS/76/003 “Establishment of a Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia” (NACA). Its host institution is the Aquaculture Department (AQD) of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC). Its establishment at AQD was endorsed by the Council of SEAFDEC at its Twlfth Meeting at Singapore (paragraph 88 of the Report).

The RLCP is one of four Regional Lead Centres of NACA, which was set up within the framework of the UNDP/FAO Inter-regional Aquaculture Development and Coordination Programme (ADCP). NACA will have an Advisory Committee comprising representatives of participating governmentss, SEAFDEC, FAO, UNDP and other donor agencies. The Committee will meet annually to review NACA's programmes and progress of work, and to provide guidance and assistance in fulfilling NACA's objectives.

All the four Lead Centres participate in NACA activities in aquaculture research, training and information development. These activities will be implemented by personnel of host institutions, the role of NACA being to assist in the planning and implementation of work programmes with regional application through the provision of technical assistance, equipment and fellowships.

Each Lead Centre specializes in selected aquaculture systems which are of national and regional importance. The aquaculture systems which RLCP will undertake to develop are the brackishwater fish and shrimp pond culture systems.

The office of RLCP is located at AQD Main Station at Tigbauan, Iloilo City, Philippines.

The Memorandum of Understanding attempts to describe briefly the mode of operation of the activities of RLCP, and the collaboration between NACA and SEAFDEC/AQD, as the host institution, in carrying out this regional project.

2.0 TRAINING ACTIVITIES

2.1 The RLCP will function as the headquarters for the one-year postgraduate training programme for aquaculturists in Asia and the Pacific. The training will be organized by NACA in collaboration with AQD and the University of the Philippines in the Visayas (UPV) in accordance with the Memorandum of Agreement between NACA and UPV, dated 23 April 1981.

2.2 The candidates for the above training programme shall be nominated by their respective governments and their admission shall be determined by the selection committee comprising two representatives each from NACA and UPV, and three from AQD. Candidates must meet the minimum qualifications stipulated in “The Curricula for Training of Aquaculturists in the Asian Network”. (ADCP/REP/80/13). Candidates meeting the admission requirements of the University postgraduate programme shall be admitted to the Master of Aquaculture graduate programme.

2.3 NACA shall co-sponsor with AQD a limited number of short-term regional training courses for transfer of specific technologies that have been developed by the RLCP. The number of such courses and coverage will be determined in consultation with the research and training staff of RLCP.

2.4 NACA shall provide (a) the services of its training officer and researchers in implementing the one-year postgraduate training programme and the mutually agreed short-term training courses for technicians; (b) the necessary training equipment; (c) partial operational expenses and (d) fellowships, subject to availability of funds.

2.5 The training staff of the RLCP may provide advice or assistance to national or regional training programmes organized by AQD on an ad hoc basis, as requested by the Chief of AQD.

2.6 AQD may assign its research and training staff to serve as instructors of the RLCP training programmes. AQD may also assign two/three research or training officers each year to work in RLCP as in-service trainees for the development of a core group of instructors and organizers of training programmes in AQD.

3.0 RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

3.1 RLCP's research programme will be based on document ADCP/REP/80/14 (En) “Outline Research Programme for the Regional Aquaculture Lead Centres in Asia-Parts I & II” jointly drawn up by an FAO task force and the senior researchers of AQD. The detailed research programme shall be discussed between NACA's representative(s) and the Research and Development Programme Committee of AQD for its approval. The multidisciplinary research team for implementing the research activities will be assigned by AQD.

3.2 The international staff of NACA will participate in the planning of research, and coordinate and assist in the implementation of the RLCP's research programme. NACA shall provide as far as possible the necessary short-term consultants in specific disciplines to assist in the planning and initiation of specialized studies and, if needed, in solving research problems.

3.3 NACA will provide the specialized research equipment necessary for the approved research programme within the limits of its resources available for the purpose in the Project.

4.0 INFORMATION

4.1 The information activities of RLCP will cover the collection, processing, storage and retrieval of both aquaculture data and bibliographic information.

4.2 NACA will arrange for the supply of essential hardware and software for this purpose, and provide training for staff assigned by AQD to work on this aspect at the RLCP. Consultant services needed for initiating information activities will also be provided by NACA.

4.3 The collection of appropriate data and bibliographic information, their processing, storage and exchange with other Regional Lead Centres participating in the Global Network of Aquaculture Centres, organized by the UNDP/FAO Aquaculture Development and Coordination Programme, will be implemented by AQD staff.

5.0 GENERAL

5.1 Through the coordination of the NACA Head Office in Bangkok and in close consultation with AOD, the Regional Lead Centre in the Philippines will implement its stated activities.

5.2 The Chief of AQD shall serve concurrently as the Director of the Regional Lead Centre in the Philippines. The responsibility for coordinating and supervising the inputs requied from NACA for the implementation of RLCP activities shall rest with the NACA's Officer-in-Charge of RLCP.

5.3 NACA's Officer-in-Charge of the Project in RLCP will prepare progress and annual reports on the activities of RLCP, in consultation with the Director of the Lead Centre, and submit them to the relevant agencies for consideration.

5.4 Any publications originating from the collaborative work of AQD and NACA shall be issued jointly.

5.5 AQD as the host institution shall provide the adequate physical facilities, supportive personnel and services needed for the smooth implementation of the RLCP activities.

Appendix 8

IDRC STATEMENT TO NACA

2ND ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING

IDRC supports applied research projects in a variety of areas of fisheries in Asia. Aquaculture has been an area of priority support and most countries of the region are cooperating on a bilateral basis in research disciplines such as breeding, nutrition, disease, genetics and culture management. As part of these research projects, IDRC has provided both preproject and in-project training. In the past year, collaborative support of trainees to NACA training schemes have been developed and it is hoped that this can be expanded in the future. IDRC hopes that in addition to the present training curricula, specialized separate short-term training schemes not yet available in the region might be organized in areas such as induced breeding, cageculture, fish disease, bivalve culture to allow further development of regional manpower in selected disciplines.

IDRC would like to take this opportunity to commend NACA for its work to date and hope that our collaboration can be broadened in the future.

F. Brain Davy (Dr.)