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Increasing the Fish Production with Good Aquaculture Practices
Rozana Samah1*
1 School of Economic, Finance & Banking, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Kedah, Malaysia
*Corresponding Author: [email protected]
Accepted: 1 March 2020 | Published: 15 March 2020
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Abstract: This study examined the impact of good aquaculture practices towards increasing the aquaculture production in the Northern part of Peninsular Malaysia. Data was collected by using questionnaire through survey on 121 aquaculture farmers from brackishwater and freshwater pond culture system in the states of Kedah and Penang. The data was analysed using descriptive analysis in order to identify the level of good aquaculture practices and the level of production among aquaculture farmers. The findings have revealed farmers that have the high level of good aquaculture practices will have high level of aquaculture production.
Thus, the enforcement and encouragement of good aquaculture practices among aquaculture farmers should be enhanced in order to sustain aquaculture development in facing food security issues.
Keywords: good aquaculture practices, aquaculture production, sustainable food security ___________________________________________________________________________
1. Introduction
Nowadays, demand for food continue to grow as a result of population growth, income and consumer tastes. Furthermore, the current scenario showing a decline in capture fisheries over the past decade. Thus, guaranteed food supply will continue to be a major challenge in the future. According to Boyd and Schmittou (1999), aquaculture is the method to overcome the issue of deficit in fish supply. Aquaculture defined as the farming of aquatic organisms that carried out under controlled conditions. Aquaculture provides almost 50 per cent of the seafood supply in the world and employed estimated 24 million people (Bush et al., 2013). In Malaysia, fish production in 2018 has reached 1.84 million tons, consisted of 79 percent capture fisheries and 21 percent aquaculture.
In conjunction of the rapid growth of aquaculture, issue of sustainable aquaculture is arising.
Is aquaculture production is sustainable? According to Agrofood Statistic (2018), aquaculture production in Malaysia showed the decreasing trend in the last five years (from 2013 until 2018). This probably due to several issue and challenges such as high cost of production which is caused by limited resources and limited supply of inputs. Moreover, another issues in aquaculture is disease. Disease can contributing to the decrease in production volume of aquaculture. Besides that, aquaculture sector also faced the conflict of causing negative impact to environment. According to Tisdell (1999), aquaculture has altered aquatic environments irreversibly and also diminishes or destroys the natural recourse. Therefore, there is a need to take a measure in order to survive from this criticism and the goal of sustainable aquaculture can be achieved. According to Boyd and Wood (2000), poor management practices are the reason of this conflict.
Thus, with concern about this matter, the developing and implementing the Best Management Practices (BMPs) have boosted. In Malaysia, in order to promote better management practices, accreditation and certification approach that based Malaysian Standard (MS) have been applied. For aquaculture sector, Aquaculture Farm Certification Scheme or SPLAM have been introduced and implemented based on MS 1998:2007 Good Aquaculture Practice (GAqP) – Aquaculture Farm – General Guidelines (Salleh et al., 2006; Fariduddin, 2006;
Bagul, 2010).
Hence, the objectives of this study were to (i) determine the level of Good Aquaculture Practices (GAqP) by pond culture farmers in states of Kedah and Pulau Pinang (ii) determine the level of aquculture production in states of Kedah and Pulau Pinang (iii) measure the effect of GAqP on aquaculture production in states of Kedah and Pulau Pinang. The results from this study can be used as reference in development of policies and procedures to achieve sustainable aquaculture through good aquaculture practices.
2. Literature Review
According to Guralnik (1980), the word sustainable defined as ‘to maintain or prolong’. Boyd and Schmittou (1999) come out with definition which is sustainable aquaculture are farming technology and business practices that exclusively based on ecological an economic viability.
Thus, there are two important aspect should be considered in order to achieve sustainable aquaculture. First, related to ecological which is involving adverse environmental effect issues. Second, related to development which is involving economic, political, and social.
The Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries was developed by Aquaculture Food and Agriculture Organization United Nations (FAO) 1997 and then according to Boyd (1999), the Code of Conduct (CoC) developed by FAO can be modified by aquaculture association. CoC is a system of principles on how to conduct aquaculture (Boyd, 2003). According to Roslina and Amir (2015), the implementation of the general principles on CoC usually expressed through Code of Practices (CoP). The term practice is referring to the structural, management activities needed to overcome the resource management problem (Boyd & Schmittou, 1999).
Aquaculture Farm Certification Scheme (SPLAM) in Malaysia was introduced in 2005, it covers pond culture system, cages, tank, hatchery, and seaweed production. This scheme awarded to aquaculture farmers who practiced GAqP. In 2013, SPLAM has undergone rebranding to Malaysian Good Agricultural Practices (MyGAP). Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) is the agriculture practices that emphasize on aspect of environmental, economic and social in order for ensuring product safety and quality (MOA, 2013).
According to Valderrama et al. (2014) the quantity, safety, and quality of product as well as farm profitability can be improved through Best Management Practices (BMPs) implementation. By adopting good aquaculture practices, the spread and attack of diseases that causing total loss to the farmers can be prevented. Thus, it can increase the output of aquaculture production and increase the income of the farmers (Engle & Valderrama, 2004;
Ghosh et al., 2013). According to Ansah and Frimpong (2015) the increasing in profitability will also improve social welfare. Thus, the standard of living of the farmers can be improved and social welfare can be met (Roslina & Amir, 2015). Besides that, good aquaculture practices also have advantage in term of production input management where it can affect the aquaculture productivity (Huy, 2009; Singh & Dey, 2009). Thus, enhances productivity through good aquaculture practices need to take in consideration for cater the sustainability issue in aquaculture production.
29 3. Methodology
This study involved the aquaculture farmers of pond culture system of two culture environment which is brackishwater and freshwater. Pond culture system was purposively selected due to great contribution to the total aquaculture production in Malaysia as compared to other culture systems such as cage, ex-mining, tank, pen, and canvas. This study was conducted to aquaculture farmers in the states that located in the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia which is the states of Kedah and Pulau Pinang.
The total population of aquaculture farmers that are believed to represent Kedah and Pulau Pinang for both culture environments were 137 (64 farmers from brackishwater pond system and 73 farmers from freshwater pond system) and 79 farmers respectively (46 farmers from brackishwater pond system and 33 farmers from freshwater pond system). The sample of farmers was randomly selected. Successfully interviewed sample consists of 121 aquaculture farmers. Total number of aquaculture farmers that had successfully interviewed in Kedah was 79 farmers (34 farmers from brackishwater pond system and 45 farmers from freshwater pond system). While in Pulau Pinang, the total number of respondents sampled was 42 which consist of 28 farmers from brackishwater pond system and 14 farmers from freshwater pond system.
The data were obtained from a comprehensive survey by using a structured questionnaire.
The survey collected information on socio-demographic characteristics, farm-specific information, output produced in a single production season, and also level of GAqP which was arranged in 5 main aspect: (i) Site selection; (ii) Pond design; (iii) Culture management;
(iv) Post harvest management; (v) Records and data. The data obtained were then analysed by using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive analysis was applied to identify the level of GAqP among aquaculture farmers in Kedah and Pulau Pinang as well as the level of production.
4. Results
4.1 Level of Good Aquaculture Practices (GAqP) among Aquaculture Farmers
Figure 1 show the average level of GAqP for brackish and freshwater farmers in Kedah and Penang. Overall, the average level of GAqP for brackishwater in both states is higher than the average level of GAqP of freshwater. The average level of GAqP for brackishwater and freshwater farmers in Penang is higher than in Kedah.
Figure 1: Average of GAqP level among aquaculture farmer in Kedah and Pulau Pinang according to culture system
4.2 Aquaculture Production of Brackishwater and Freshwater Pond
Figure 2 show the mean production for brackish and freshwater pond culture system in Kedah and Penang. Overall, the mean production for freshwater is higher than the mean production of brackishwater. The mean production in Penang is higher than in Kedah for both culture system.
Figure 2: Mean of aquaculture production in Kedah and Pulau Pinang according to culture system
4.3. Effect of Good Aquaculture Practices (GAqP) on Aquaculture Production
The results in Figure 3 and Figure 4 showed that GAqP has a positive effect on the level of aquaculture production for both culture system and both states. High level of GAqP resulting in high level of production.
Figure 3: Effect of GAqP on production of brackishwater pond in Kedah and Pulau Pinang
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Figure 4: Effect of GAqP on production of freshwater pond in Kedah and Pulau Pinang
5. Discussion and Conclusion
The finding of this study found the level of GAqP for brackishwater pond farmers is higher than freshwater pond is consistent with the study by Roslina (2013). In addition, according to El-Sayed (2006), freshwater fish such as tilapia or catfish have the advantage of being resistant to disease, being able to live in poor water quality and high stocking density. This advantage makes most freshwater farmers do not practice good aquaculture management.
However, the sustainability issues need to be considered where they are not only related to the internal environment of the production but also to the external environment which includes the social and community.
In terms of production, the average production for freshwater pond in both states was higher than in brackishwater pond. Similar results were also found in a study by Dey et al. (2008).
This is because most of the brackishwater pond farmers said that their fish are often exposed to disease. On the other hand, disease attacks are difficult to find in freshwater fish. Plus, according to Walker and Mohan (2009), disease can contribute to low productivity.
Lastly, the result of this study clearly showed farmers that have high level of good aquaculture practices also have high level of aquaculture production. Average level of GAqP among farmers is higher for average of production more than 20 tonnes per hectare. As level of GAqP increase, level of production also increases. This finding support by Singh et al., (2009); Illiyasu et al. (2014) which is by practising good aquaculture are contributors to optimal and efficient production.
As a conclusion, the level of good aquaculture practices among farmers still not achieve 100 per cent. Most farmers are still unaware of the issue of sustainable aquaculture development in term of production and environmental sustainability. Thus, to achieve higher production all aquaculture farmers need to be encouraged to practice good aquaculture management. This is important to make sure the social, environmental and economic sustainability can be achieved simultaneously.
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