Despite a thriving deep-sea and coastal fishery and high per capita fish consumption in Cuba, aquaculture is relatively undeveloped and will therefore be a target for future expansion following the impact of other nations' new economic zones on the fisheries. Two main areas for expansion exist: the freshwater dams and reservoirs, and the extensive mangrove belt around Cuba, which together have a potential annual production of 50 to 100 thousand tons of fish. At present, stocking programmes are concentrated on tilapia, silver carps, bigheads and grass carps, bass, and oysters; while mullets may be cultivated in brackishwater areas. Cuba has developed a particular interest in the Philippine aquaculture industry owing to the similar climatic conditions of the two countries.

Cursory information on the biology and economic value of sugpo (Penaeus monodon ) relevant to aquaculturists is presented.

Mussels (Mytilus smaragdinus) were posing a threat as fouling organisms in Bacoor Bay, on the south coast of Manila Bay but when attempts were made to market the mussel so much success was achieved that attempts to culture it were begun. A pilot farm was established; mussels now exceed oysters as the most important an profitable crop, 4 mussel projects have now been established, at Bacoor, Tinagong Dagat in northeast Panay, Jiabon in western Samar, and Panguil Bay in northwest Minanao. Projects of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) are also noted. The methods used in mussel culture are described; at Bacoor, Bamboo stakes are used as substrate. Cost and production estimates for a 1 ha farm using the bamboo stake substrate are given.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Philippines and SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department are proposing to undertake a mobile training program for fishermen and fish farm operators in the Philippines to be implemented immediately and covering an initial 5-year period. The program seeks to accelerate the training, in situ, of subsistence fishermen and small fish farm operators on appropriate aquaculture technologies; set up strategic demonstration projects in various regions of the country; and contribute to the national effort of increasing food production.

Prawn culture has been encouraged in the Philippines as an alternative to fish (bangus), since the former provides a higher income, better nutrition, and increased employment. The Aquaculture Department has made sugpo fry (Penaeus monodon ) available to pond owners, but these hatchery-bred fry are found to be much less viable than those from natural habitats. This has prompted the launching of an improved pilot nursery pond system which enables fry to be harvested as early as P₄ and P₅ stages, using improvements in design and operation to solve the critically long gap between the hatchery and the grow-out pond. By this method, hatchery production has been raised by about 100 percent, and a commercial size nursery has now been established capable of accommodating 2.4 to 5 million fry per operation, or 15 to 40 million per year.

The Philippines has set into motion an aquaculture industry development support scheme, jointly undertaken by 4 institutions. The project model provides for two components: a macro component which covers the island of Panay, and a micro or village level component concerned with milkfish, crustacean (including sugpo, or tiger prawn), and mollusc production. Details of the proposed infrastructure, technology, field implementation and management are given.

Oysters are among the most in-demand aquaculture commodities in the Philippines and worldwide. With the decreasing culture area and the deteriorating water quality of oyster beds, there is a need to explore new culture sites and techniques to address the problems of dwindling stocks and the increasing demand for better quality oysters. This study compared the growth and survival of the oysters Magallana bilineata, the new accepted name of Crassostrea iredalei, cultured in an earthen pond and the river using pouches suspended from rafts. Mean growth rates of oysters in length and weight were significantly higher in those reared in the river (0.56 ± 0.02 cm mo^-1; 10.27 ± 0.42 g mo^-1) than those in the pond (0.41 ± 0.03 cm mo^-1; 5.99 ± 0.22 g mo^-1), but the meat yield of oysters reared in the river (25.96 ± 0.92%) was almost the same as in the pond (24.05 ± 1.41%). Likewise, the proximate composition was the same for oysters coming from the river and the pond, respectively — 58.04 ± 0.14% and 53.86 ± 0.38% crude protein, 7.00 ± 0.08% and 7.93 ± 0.38% crude fat, 24.68 ± 0.07% and 28.54 ± 0.74% nitrogen-free extract, and 10.27 ± 0.01% and 9.68 ± 0.01% ash. Oyster survival at harvest was significantly higher in the river (70.21 ± 2.84%) than in the pond (13.10 ± 1.57%). However, with some interventions, ponds may still be utilized for oyster culture despite the low survival results in this study. Extending oyster culture in these aquaculture facilities may serve as a basis for interventions to make the pond more habitable for oysters and may help boost production in the country.

In has increasingly been observed that viral and bacterial coinfection frequently occurs among cultured shrimp and this coinfection could exacerbate the disease phenotype. Here, we describe a newly discovered bacterial strain, Vibrio harveyi PH1009 collected from Masbate Island, Philippines that was found to be co-infecting with the White Spot Syndrome virus a sample of black tiger prawn, Penaeus monodon. The genome of V. harveyi PH1009 was sequenced, assembled, and annotated. Average Nucleotide identity calculation with Vibrio harveyi strains confirmed its taxonomic identity. It is a potential multi-drug and multi-heavy metal resistant strain based on the multiple antibiotic and heavy metal resistance determinants annotated on its genome. Two prophage regions were identified in its genome. One contained genes for Zona occludens toxin (Zot) and Accessory cholera toxin (Ace), essential toxins of toxigenic V. cholerae strains apart from CTX toxins. Pan-genome analysis of V. harveyi strains, including PH1009, revealed an “open” pan-genome for V. harveyi and a core genome mainly composed of genes necessary for growth and metabolism. Phylogenetic tree based on the core genome alignment revealed that PH1009 was closest to strains QT520, CAIM 1754, and 823tez1. Published virulence factors present on the strain QT520 suggest similar pathogenicity with PH1009. However, PH1009 Zot was not found on related strains but was present in strains HENC-01 and CAIM 148. Most unique genes found in the PH1009 strain were identified as hypothetical proteins. Further annotation showed that several of these hypothetical proteins were phage transposases, integrases, and transcription regulators, implying the role of bacteriophages in the distinct genomic features of the PH1009 genome. The PH1009 genome will serve as a valuable genomic resource for comparative genomic studies and in understanding the disease mechanism of the Vibrio harveyi species.