Ecology and farming of milkfish
Date
1999Author
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Abstract
This book is a reader-friendly illustrated account of the life history of milkfish (Chanos chanos) in nature and in aquaculture. It describes the different farming systems and status of the milkfish industry, and recommends means to ensure sustainability.
Suggested Citation
Bagarinao, T. (1999). Ecology and farming of milkfish. Tigbauan, Iloilo, Philippines: Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Aquaculture Department.
Type
BookISBN
9718511369Format
iv, 171 p. : ill
Collections
- Monographs [34]
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
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Historical and current trends in milkfish farming in the Philippines
Bagarinao, Teodora
(Academic Press, 1998)
This chapter focuses on the historical and current practices of milkfish farming in the Philippines. The Philippines ranks among the top 12 largest fish producers in the world and the milkfish, Chanos chanos, is the official national fish. The milkfish production in the Philippines has fluctuated sharply, but on average, has relatively stagnated over the past decade, partly due to the shrimp boom and low price of milkfish. The milkfish industry has been responsible for the significant loss of valuable mangrove swamps and forests. The loss of mangrove means loss of habitats and biodiversity including nursery grounds for feeding and refuge of commercial fishes, shrimps, crabs and mollusks. Milkfish ponds in the Philippines are either privately owned or leased from the government. Brackish water fish ponds are valuable real estate and good management adds to their value. For milkfish farming, stocking rate should be based on the pond environment and carrying capacity, and the fish size at stocking and the market size desired. -
Systematics, distribution, genetics and life history of milkfish, Chanos chanos
Bagarinao, Teodora (Springer Verlag, 1994)
Chanos chanos belongs to a monotypic gonorynchiform family and is most closely related to the freshwater Ostariophysi. The earliest gonorynchiforms occurred in the Cretaceous of Brazil and west Africa. Chanos occurred in the freshwater Eocene deposits of Europe and North America, and probably invaded the circumtropical Tethys Sea during transgression episodes. At present, milkfish occurs near continental shelves and around oceanic islands throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific. Milkfish populations throughout the range show high genetic variation but low genetic divergence, similar to many other commercially important teleosts. The natural life history of milkfish is one of continual migration. Adults are relatively large (to 1.5 m or 15 kg), long-lived (to 15 years), pelagic and schooling. They spawn offshore near coral reefs or small islands. The eggs, embryos and larvae are pelagic and relatively larger than those of most marine species. Larvae ≥ 10 mm long and 2–3 weeks old move inshore via a combination of passive advection and active migration. Passing shore waters and surf zones, they settle in shallow-water depositional habitats such as mangrove swamps and coral lagoons, where they metamorphose and spend a few months as juveniles. Some juveniles may enter freshwater lakes where they grow into sub-adults but do not mature. Both small juveniles and large sub-adults go back to sea when they reach the size limit supportable by the habitat. Little else is known of the dynamics of wild populations of milkfish. A fishery on inshore larvae supports the centuries-old aquaculture of milkfish in southeast Asia. During the past ten years, milkfish have matured and spawned under various conditions of captivity, and hatcheries have produced larvae to supply the culture ponds. Much remains to be learned concerning the milkfish, particularly its ecology and physiology. -
Reviews and recommendations on current and future research activities for the biological investigations on milkfish
(Aquaculture Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, 1976)Presented in this paper are the recommendations on current and future research activities for the biological investigations on milkfish (Chanos chanos). Included were the bahavior and bio-ecology of milkfish in the wild. It also tackled the protocols in transporting broodstocks.
