aq u afarm n e w s • s h rim p c u ltu re
M ileston es on tiger sh rim p R & D a t S E A F D E C
T he rapid exp ansion o f the shrim p ind ustry in the P hilippines and in the regio n o w es m uch to SE A FD E C /A Q D 's research on the tiger shrim p P en a e u s m onodon. Since 1973, technologies have been generated on broo d stock develo pm ent, hatchery operations an d m anagem ent, and p o n d grow -out.
In 1975, the life cy cle of P. m onodon w as first com pleted in captivity u sin g ey estalk ablation. L arv al supply o f the A Q D large tank h a tc h e ry h a s e v o lv e d from to ta l d e p e n d en c e on w ild sp aw ners (1975-1976) to the use o f ablated fem ales m atured in p ens (1977) and land-based tanks (1979 to the present). In 1977, A Q D scaled dow n hatchery tech n o lo gy from large tanks to a sm all-scale "barangay" hatchery system characterized by sim pli
fied production and reduction in investm ent w hich w as readily adopted by the private sector. T he h atchery requirem ent for natu
ral food w as reduced by supplem entation w ith egg yolk in 1981 and use of a kap pa-carrageenan m icrobound larval diet in 1990.
In 1979, hatchery-reared postlarvae w ere already used in pond culture. Pond prod u ctio n o f tiger shrim p w as ad versely affected by chronic soft-shell syndrom e.
Identification o f a n um b er of factors particularly inadequate nutrition, w ater pollutio n, and p oo r pond soil quality becam e the b asis for estab lish in g m easures to p revent and control soft-shell
ing in 1986. A broodstock diet and a cost-effective diet for grow- out pond w ere form ulated in 1986.
O ne of the early training sessio n s on tig e r shrim p culture (above);
A Q D 's shrim p broodstock tanks (right)
Broodstock and hatchery technology for tiger shrimp
1975 com pletion of the tig er shrim p life cycle by eyestalk ablation
1977 mass production of ablated spaw ners in marine pens, mass production of fry in sm all-scale barangay hatchery, start of regular training courses in tig er shrim p hatchery
1978 extension m anual on barangay hatchery operations, techn ology transferred to com m ercial private sector
1980 mass production of ablated spaw ners in land-based tanks
1986 form ulation of effective broodstock diet.
1990 form ulation of effective diet for larvae in the hatchery
Pond grow-out technology fo r tiger shrim p 1976 extension m anual on tiger shrim p
grow-out
1977 start of training courses in tig er shrim p grow-out
1979 use of hatchery-reared fry in private com m ercial farm s
1986 control of soft-shell syndrom e in tiger shrim p in ponds
1990 form ulation of a cost-effective diet for grow-out
SEAFDEC Asian Aquaculture V ol. XXI No. 4 August 1999 27
