SEAFDEC PROGRAMS OF ACTIVITIES IN 2019
1. Strategy I: Securing the sustainability of fisheries to contribute to food security, poverty alleviation and livelihood of people in the region
2.7 Generation of appropriate technologies for rural aquaculture to provide livelihood and alleviate poverty
Meeting Social and Economic Challenges in Aquaculture
The development and implementation of social and economic strategies in aquaculture and resource management are meant to secure food and income through stakeholders collaboration. This is in response to the specific recommendation for meeting the social and economic challenges in aquaculture which were identified and adopted during the ASEAN- SEAFDEC Fish for the People Conference in June 2011. So far, the outcomes that emanate from studies on various aquaculture commodities (e.g. mangrove crab, milkfish, sandfish, seaweeds) include enhanced understanding of aquaculture’s role in poverty alleviation, issues on climate change and aquaculture trade addressed with emphasis on those affecting small-scale fish farmers, and multi-agency collaboration and information sharing enhanced.
Mangrove crab. Selecting the optimal stocking density of mangrove crab Scylla serrata in hatchery production in different seasons using a decision theory approach was initiated to establish the optimal stocking density of mangrove crab hatchery production during dry and wet seasons, taking into account water temperature uncertainty and the risk preferences of producers or farm decision-makers. Therefore, the data generated would be evaluated using the decision theory approach integrated with the bio-economic model of the mangrove crab.
Preliminarily, results of the crab instar harvest provided the completed larval cycle (from early to crab instar) with stocking density of 60 zoeas per liter, with observed average ammonia level at (0.88 ppm) which is less than the normal range of ≤1 ppm, and nitrite level of 0.29 ppm which was higher than normal at ≤0.1ppm but the crab larvae were able to tolerate it. While temperature (29.9°C) and dissolved oxygen (4.91) were within the optimum level (27-30°C and >4ppm, respectively), the crab larvae survival was 1.00% which is reasonably satisfactory compared to the 80 zoeas per liter survival of 0.37%. Subsequently, a second batch completed the larval cycle with a survival rate of 60 zoeas per liter which is tripled (3.4%) compared to the previous run, while 80 zoeas per liter exhibited a much lower survival rate of 0.8%. These initial results indicate that mangrove larvae perhaps have high tolerance to nitrogen loading in the environment that could be associated with increasing anthropogenic activities and climate change parameters. These environmental conditions have significant implications to the multi-million mangrove crab aquaculture industry. However, bio-economic modeling and further analysis require more datasets.
Monitoring of water parameters in tanks stocked with mangrove crablets
Milkfish, sandfish, and seaweeds. The Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA), which was implemented by AQD from 2015 to 2019 in collaboration with Japan International Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), was aimed at developing technologies for sustainable aquatic production in harmony with tropical system. The role of aquaculture in addressing poverty in the fisheries sector has been elucidated given the economic and social challenges experienced in the implementation of IMTA of milkfish (Chanos chanos, Forsskal), sandfish (Holothuria scabra), and seaweeds (Kappaphycus sp). The seven IMTA production runs had been co-managed by local fisherfolks, women, and local government in Barangay Pandaraonan in the municipality of Nueva Valencia in Guimaras Province. The biophysical and socioeconomics data collected from these seven runs provided basis for evaluating the IMTA results during summer and rainy seasons. The last run of the IMTA of milkfish runs indicated that of the 5,000 milkfish juveniles stocked, 92.8% or 1.25 metric tons (mt) were harvested, 0.8% died and 6.4% were uncounted. Profitability was primarily constrained by a combination of factors that include high production cost due to total cost of feeds used that comprise 64% of the variable cost. While the cost of fingerling
accounted for 16% of the variable cost, the unrecovered proportion of stocks due to probable poaching, escapees and unrecorded mortalities also dented the profitability. Re- investments in terms of replacement of depreciated bamboo poles in the pen likewise increased the fixed cost. The harvest of co-cultured sandfish and seaweeds also needs enormous improvement because the high-value co-culture species are supposed to overcome the impact of increasing production cost, aside from mitigating the impact of organic matter. Nonetheless, monitoring of environmental parameters such as organic matter and other pollutants did not indicate significant deterioration in open culture system. Community-based strategies to overcome economic losses need further study in order that the application of IMTA would benefit the potential adopters of this technology.
In view of these social challenges in community-based implementation of IMTA in milkfish culture, characterization and levels of improvement of sustainable livelihood assets were determined for this community-based project. Fifty-two stakeholders were interviewed in 2019 for an inter-temporal analysis of sustainable livelihood assets (SLA) relevant to the implementation of community-managed IMTA in rural coastal communities. Using inter- temporal Likert-scale rating, the analysis showed improvement of four out of five categories of livelihood assets such as human, environmental, financial, and social assets associated with this IMTA project. In contrast, physical livelihood assets (such as pens, cages, fish value- adding equipment) did not significantly improve as perceived by the fisherfolk stakeholders, which could be due to limited mariculture pens used that could only accommodate a few of the many fisherfolk stakeholders. The utilization of the physical livelihood assets was dissipated and thus limited for the many expectant project beneficiaries. Therefore, there is the need to organize more and bigger collaborative projects with emphasis on sustainable livelihood asset development that would create significant impacts to the poor fishing households in coastal communities.
Milkfish produced from the seventh run of the community-based IMTA setup in Barangay Pandaraonan in Guimaras,
Philippines
Achievements: Environment-friendly tiger shrimp farming demonstrated
The AMSs could now avail of the technology developed by AQD that makes use of the environment-friendly green water technology. Using such technology, AQD harvested a total of 7.2 tons of tiger shrimp from two harvests on 28 October and 13 November 2019 from its Dumangas Brackishwater Station, and gained commendations from the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and other stakeholders.
The AMSs could take heed of the successful harvests of AQD that tiger shrimp farming, if implemented correctly, is still a profitable venture. Tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon was widely cultured in the region in the nineties until the emergence of shrimp diseases caused steep declines in production. AQD’s program, “Oplan Balik Sugpo,” aims to revive the industry. The harvest in November of 4.4 tons attained a survival rate of 89.7 percent after 120 days of intensive culture in an 8,000 square meter experimental pond.
In October, 2.8 tons was harvested with a survival rate of 93 percent after 113 days of semi-intensive culture in a 5,000 square meter pond. The high health shrimp fry stocked in the ponds were produced in AQD’s newly developed biosecure hatchery in Tigbauan, Iloilo. The AQD culture method uses green water technology that stabilizes water quality and naturally suppresses the harmful luminous and other Vibrio bacteria that cause massive mortality in shrimp. This is done by stocking tilapia and milkfish in the pond which was also fitted with sludge collectors and surrounded by crab fences. Proper pond preparation, management, strict biosecurity practices, and regular monitoring of water and shrimp samples are equally necessary to ensure the success of tiger shrimp farming.
The successful harvests and the details of the hatchery and grow-out technology were disseminated to the shrimp industry during the 12th Philippine Shrimp Congress in November 2019 in Bacolod City, and the information could also be shared with the other AMSs.