WP/81/SPH/CP-18
by
Kasemsant Chalayondeja1
1. INTRODUCTION
Based on latest available data (1978), Thailand has total area of shrimp farms of approximately 22 600 hectares. If we release shrimp postlarvae (PL 20) about 10 pieces per m2, the minimum requirement for penacid shrimp postlarvae is about 2 260 million.
2. SHRIMP HATCHERIES
To supply the demand, the Department of Fisheries has established shrimp hatcheries along the coast of Thailand. Among these are as following:
2.1 Songkhla — National Institute of Coastal Aquaculture (NICA)
This institute is designed from the former Songkhla Fisheries Station with the assistance from the Government of Japan. The total input from Japan government is equivalent to about US dollar four million. These hatcheries are designed with multiple purpose that of producing penaeid shrimp and finfish. For penaeid shrimp, it has a target of about 10 million PL 20. This station started to operate from September of 1981. At the moment it has no physical problems except that the supply of the spawner of Penaeus monodon from the natural grounds might limit its production.
2.2 Phuket
This station is located in the west coast in the Andaman sea in the southern part of Thailand. It has started production of P. monodon fry since 1973 and about 100 million of penaeid shrimp larvae have been produced from 1973–1980. The shrimp larvae were distributed to the Thai shrimp farmers. Most of them are small-scale shrimp farmers which are the target of Government of Thailand to be supplied with seed.
In 1981, the hatcheries has a target of about 10 million of shrimp postlarvae. During the past six months of operation, the hatchery has already produced 10 million.
The main constraints of this hatchery are the limitation of spawner of P. monodon, diseases, and limitation of budget.
2.3 Satul
This station is also located in the west coast in the Andaman sea in southern part of Thailand. This station has been constructed in 1978. It is still under construction for completion. Satul receives budget annually from the Thai government. The production target is about 10 million postlarvae per annum. The hatchery has been operating since 1979 with the total production of about (1979–1981) 25 million of PL 20.
The major constraints of this hatchery are limitation of broodstock, shortage of personnel, and low budget.
2.4 Rayong
This hatchery is located in the east coast of the inner Gulf of Thailand which is 220 km from Bangkok. The hatchery is multipurposes with the aim of producing both penaeid shrimp and seabass. The hatchery was built in 1968. During 1973–1978, the hatchery received technical assistances through JICA, in terms of equipment, overseas training and expertise. The hatchery has a production target of about 10 million of shrimp postlarvae.
The major constraints of this hatchery are limitation of broodstock of P. monodon, diseases, limitation of personnel and inadequate budget.
2.5 Prachuabkirikhan
The hatchery is located in the west coast of the Inner Gulf of Thailand about 350 km from Bangkok with a view of supplying shrimp seed to the shrimp farm in these areas. The production target of this hatchery is more or less like the above-mentioned 4 hatcheries of 10 million PL 20. Since this hatchery is under construction, the operation will be started in 1982. It is planned that the hatchery will get technical assistance from International Council for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM) to upgrade and improve its working performance hoping that with the assistance from outside the hatchery can produce at least 10 million PL 20 per year.
The main constraints of this station are water quality, limitation of broodstock, personnel and small amount of budget.
2.6 Private hatcheries
Besides the government hatcheries, there are three private hatcheries which are located in Chonburi, Rayong and Phuket provinces. These three private hatcheries can produce shrimp postlarvae (PL 20-25) of about 4 million per annum.
The government has fixed the selling price of the post-larvae that is for P. monodon at US $ 70 per 1000 and for P. merguiensis at US $ 4.5.
3. FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
Due to the decline in sea fisheries, the Department of Fisheries has realized that coastal aquaculture is very important for food supply and for raising the standard of living of the small farmers. The researches on increasing of the shrimp hatchery production, food and feeding postlarvae, disease control and also rearing of broodstock have been emphasized, and transfer of technology to the farmer have been extended.
Several programmes have been formulated and are in various stages of implementation to accelerate and support applied research. These programmes are: the National Aquaculture Development Project (loan from ADB), National Institute of Coastal Aquaculture (technical assistance from JICA), and Technical Assistance for Applied Research on Coastal Aquaculture (ICLARM).
