Fish for the People
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Utilization of the tropical almond tree leaves in aquaculture
-Fish for the People , 2019 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development CenterTropical almond tree (Terminalia catappa), also known in the Philippines as “talisay” is a large tropical tree in the Combretaceae (leadwood tree) family that grows mainly in tropical areas of Asia. The tree grows from 10 m to 25 m high and has horizontal whorls of branches with shiny and ovate leaves, 10-25 cm long, and tapering below to a narrow and heart-shaped base with expanded rounded apex. “Talisay” fruit is smooth and ellipsoid, 3-6 cm long, and prominently bi-ridged or keeled down to the sides, with fibrous and fleshy pericarp and hard endocarp. Studies have indicated that the leaves of “talisay” are rich in tannins and a host of organic compounds that help in conditioning the culture water resulting in improved survival, growth, and health of cultured aquatic species. -
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Towards reviving the production of Philippine native aquatic species
-Fish for the People , 2019 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development CenterThe overexploitation of native aquatic species mainly for household consumption, not to mention the habitat loss and introduction of invasive alien species in major inland water bodies of the Philippines, has resulted in the significant decline of their natural populations. Philippine Republic Act 9147 otherwise known as the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001 and the Fisheries Administrative Order 233-1 in 2010 issued by the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) served as two legal frameworks for protecting and conserving aquatic wildlife including indigenous species of the Philippines. With the current declining state of the country’s native aquatic species, relevant studies such as breeding and development of seed production techniques are necessary to revive the production of native aquatic species. These studies would also support the Philippine Government’s Balik Sigla sa Ilog at Lawa (BASIL) program of restocking inland water bodies with native aquatic species. -
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Promoting responsible aquaculture for the sustainable production of soft-shell crabs
-Fish for the People , 2018 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development CenterSoft-shell crabs command a high price because these could be eaten whole when cooked. Myanmar, Viet Nam, and Thailand are among the Southeast Asian countries that produce considerable quantities of soft-shell crabs mostly sold to local restaurants as well as exported to Australia, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and the USA. Production of soft-shell crabs is an emerging technology in the Philippines, where the demand for this product has been increasing and the technology becoming a growing interest. With prices that could range from US$ 10 to US$ 15 US$ or higher per kilogram depending on the size, soft-shell crabs are bought in bulk by elite restaurants in the Philippines that usually serve this delicacy with complimentary food or drinks. Although the demand for soft-shell crabs is high, production is still unstable due to lack of seedstocks, which are mainly sourced from the wild. To reduce the pressure on the natural population, SEAFDEC/AQD has initiated the development of soft-shell crab technology using hatchery-produced seedstocks, and is currently promoting the use of hatchery-produced seedstocks for soft-shell crab farming to local and international stakeholders all over the Southeast Asian region through its training courses. With funding support from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through its National Mud Crab Science and Technology Program (NMCSTP), SEAFDEC/AQD has intensified the development of the soft-shell crab technology. Applicable to all mangrove (mud) crab species, the technology for the production of soft-shell crabs could now be pursued using hatchery-produced seedstocks is described in this article. -
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Addressing gaps in the culture of pathogen-free polychaetes as feed in shrimp hatcheries
-Fish for the People , 2018 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development CenterOne of the factors that contribute to the success of shrimp hatchery operations is the availability of good quality broodstock diets. Polychaetes have been regarded as the best maturation diet for shrimps as they contain essential nutrients requisite for the reproduction of shrimps. Consequently, the demand for polychaetes increased with the intensification of shrimp farming and as a result, the natural stocks are depleting gradually and thus, could no longer provide sustainable supply for shrimp hatcheries. In addition, the issue on biosecurity concerning wild polychaetes prompted the shrimp farmers to obtain polychaetes from reputable sources, thus, the culture of polychaetes under controlled condition has become a sustainable alternative. The SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD) therefore initiated the “Refinement of rearing and feeding techniques for sustainable mass production of the polychaete Marphysa sp.” to address the gaps in polychaetes culture and ensure the sustainability of polychaetes production to supply the shrimp hatcheries at SEAFDEC/AQD, and where the potential mass production of the polychaetes (Marphysa sp.) in indoor tanks is being undertaken to ensure that these are pathogen-free. -
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Establishing adaptive strategies towards a climate-resilient seaweed farming: A case in Panobolon Island, Guimaras, Philippines
-Fish for the People , 2018 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development CenterSeaweeds are ecologically important primary producers, competitors, and ecosystem engineers (Harley et al., 2012), support complex food webs in coastal zones, and provide habitats and food for associated organisms, from apex predators to invertebrates (Reisewitz, Estes, & Simenstad, 2006). Seaweeds are intimately linked to human cultural and economic systems via the provision of ecosystem goods and services ranging from food, medicine, to cosmetics (Pickering, 2006) and storm protection (Rönnbäck, et al., 2007). There is strong scientific consensus that coastal marine ecosystems, along with the goods and services they provide, are threatened by anthropogenic global climate change (IPCC, 2001). However, the impacts of ongoing and future anthropogenic climate change in seaweeddominated ecosystems remain poorly understood (Harley et al., 2012). It is therefore, timely and relevant to provide better understanding of the experiences of seaweed farmers and their capacity to anticipate, cope with, resist, and recover from the impact of natural hazards (Blaikie, Cannon, Davis, & Wisner, 1994). The Philippine-based SEAFDEC/AQD is currently conducting a three-year (2015-2018) study on the economic benefits and losses of seaweed farming due to climate change indicators. With pilot site in Panobolon Island, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras, Philippines, the study highlights the adaptive strategies and the effects of climatic change on the productivity of small-scale seaweed growers in a community. -
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Utilizing alternative ingredients in aquafeeds for sustainable aquaculture
-Fish for the People , 2017 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development CenterAquaculture is considered as the key to ensuring enough food protein to feed the growing world population (FAO, 2014). It is expected that the global food demand will increase to 70% in 2050. Aquaculture is touted as the fastest growing food-producing sector in the world. The accelerated growth of the aquaculture sector has resulted in the expansion of aquaculture feed production. However, at present, the aquaculture feed industry is confronted with pressing issues such as the limited availability and escalating cost of dietary fishmeal (FM) and fish oil (FO). FM has traditionally been used in aquaculture feed due to its high protein quality and palatability. However, the success of the aquaculture industry will depend in part on the reduction or replacement of FM use in aquaculture feeds using less expensive alternative protein sources. Several alternative feed ingredients, including plant-derived materials, have been tested in aquaculture feeds for several fish species of economic importance. Meanwhile, other non-conventional protein sources such agricultural wastes and by-products have been found to hold enormous potentials in future fish feed formulations. -
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Advocating preventive measures that inhibit early mortality syndrome in shrimps
-Fish for the People , 2017 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development CenterEarly Mortality Syndrome (EMS) is a generic name used to describe the observed mortality occurring within the first 30 days of stocking shrimp (Penaeus sp.) post larvae (PL) in ponds. The aquaculture species reported to be affected by EMS are Penaeus monodon, P. vannamei and P. chinensis, of which P. monodon is the most susceptible. EMS has been reported in China (2009), Viet Nam (2010), Malaysia and Borneo (2011), and Thailand (2012). EMS could have been present in the Philippines as early as 2007 but this was not given attention then. Fish farmers in the Philippines observed that mortalities that occur as early as one week after stocking P. monodon PL in ponds or within two months of stocking were not due to the whitespot syndrome virus (WSSV). Hence, the farmers call it the two-month mortality syndrome (Tendencia et al., 2014). EMS is associated with WSSV, microsporidian infestation, Vibrio infection, and chemical contamination (Flegel, 2016; FAO, 2013). Affected shrimps have pale to whitish hepatopancreas with black spots or streaks, rigid and hard to squash. Histopathology of the hepatopancreas of shrimp samples from EMS cases showed massive necrosis and sloughing or shedding of the epithelial cells. EMS characterised by these specific histopathological changes in the hepatopancreas is called Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND). Incidence of AHPND has been recently reported in China, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam. -
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Initiating resource enhancement of seahorses: A case study at Sagay marine reserve in central Philippines
-Fish for the People , 2017 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development CenterSeahorses (Hippocampus spp.) are commonly found in tropical coral reefs as well as in lagoons and estuaries, and are highly exploited for their high price, resulting in the listing of these seahorses in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In fact, all seahorses are among the first marine fishes of commercial importance to be listed in both the IUCN and Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to ensure their sustainable utilization. In promoting the protection and sustainability of this resource, efforts have been made worldwide for their conservation through stock enhancement by releasing captive-bred or captive-held seahorses. The SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department (AQD) with support from the Japanese Trust Fund through the project ‘Resource Enhancement of Internationally Threatened and Over-exploited Species in Southeast Asia through Stock Release,’ has been working on the resource enhancement of seahorses primarily by developing appropriate release and monitoring strategies, and enhancing the involvement of concerned communities in the management of the natural as well as the restocked seahorses. -
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Supporting ASEAN good aquaculture practices: Utilization of alternative protein sources for aquafeed to minimize pressure on fishery resources
-Fish for the People , 2016 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development CenterAquaculture industry of Southeast Asia has been expanding steadily as a result of an increasing demand of food fish in the region as well as in the global scale. Aside from its contribution to the world’s fisheries, the aquaculture industry creates employment opportunities and provides income for the region’s fish farmers, as well as produces fish which is a major component in the diets of peoples in Southeast Asia. However, the fast development of aquaculture had been viewed as threat to sustainable capture fisheries production as the widespread use of fish by-catch in aquaculture feeds results in overexploitation of the fishery resources and to certain extent degradation of the resources. Recognizing the importance and urgency of addressing such concern, the Senior Officials of the ASEAN Member States responsible for fisheries adopted in June 2011, the Plan of Action on Sustainable Fisheries for Food security for the ASEAN Region Towards 2020 which includes provision on the need to “improve the efficient use of aquatic feeds by strictly regulating the quality of manufactured feed and feed ingredients and support continued research for developing suitable alternative protein sources that will reduce dependence on fishmeal and other fish-based products.” Along with such declaration, the SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department has been enhancing its R&D activities aimed at finding alternatives to fishmeal as feed ingredients in aquaculture feed formulations. -
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Supporting ASEAN good aquaculture practices: Preventing the spread of trans-boundary aquatic animal diseases
-Fish for the People , 2016 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development CenterThe FAO Fishery Statistics had indicated that Asia is the top producer of fish and fishery products from both capture fisheries and aquaculture. Specifically, Southeast Asia had contributed 9-31% of the total aquaculture production in Asia from 1950 to 2014 with Indonesia and the Philippines accounting for the most at 23-63% and 10-45% of the total, respectively. Aquaculture has been viewed as a solution to the growing concern on food security issues as well as for the socio-economic stability of many countries in Southeast Asia. For such reason, aquaculture operations are being intensified to compensate for the declining production from capture fisheries and in order to nail the gap between supply and demand for fish and fishery products in the world. With intensification, aquaculture production has already overtaken the contribution of capture fisheries to the world’s total fisheries production. However, concerns on the safety and quality of aquaculture products have been raised as result of intensified fish farming operations. Added to such concern is the irresponsible introduction of aquatic species for aquaculture that serve as carriers of pathogens. As a result, a large number of infectious aquatic diseases have emerged threatening the sustainability of aquaculture in the Southeast Asian region. In an effort to address the emergence of transboundary diseases in the region, the Aquaculture Department of SEAFDEC (SEAFDEC/AQD) launched a program on Healthy and Wholesome Aquaculture which includes as one of its main objectives, the need to continue improving aquaculture production through innovations in fish health management. -
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Transforming a coral reef cove into mariculture hub: Igang marine station of SEAFDEC/AQD
-Fish for the People , 2015 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center -
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Orchestrating the southeast Asian aquaculture towards sustainability: SEAFDEC initiative
-Fish for the People , 2015 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development CenterThree years after the Philippines became a signatory to the Agreement Establishing the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in January 1968, the Philippine Government submitted a Position Paper during the Fourth Meeting of the SEAFDEC Council in January 1971, formally inviting SEAFDEC to establish a regional aquaculture project in the Philippines. This was anchored on the decision reached during the Third Ministerial Conference for the Economic Development of Southeast Asia in 1968, for SEAFDEC to consider the establishment of a new department to deal with freshwater and brackishwater fish culture, in addition to the already established Research and Training Departments. Subsequently, the Ministerial Conference established a working group of aquaculture experts from the Member Countries to conduct a study on the aquaculture situation in Southeast Asia. Their report which indicated that the new SEAFDEC Department could be established in the Philippines was considered by the Fourth Ministerial Conference for the Economic Development of Southeast Asia in 1969. This led to the series of surveys in the Philippines, conducted by a Survey Mission from the Japanese Overseas Technical Cooperation Agency headed by Dr. Katsuzo Kuronoma, former President of Tokyo University of Fisheries, Japan from 1969 to 1971 to identify the appropriate site of this new Department. Together with counterpart experts from the Philippines, the Survey Mission concluded that the Aquaculture Department would be established in Iloilo Province, Panay Island, Philippines, to undertake aquaculture research in the region, and training of researchers and technicians in aquaculture. Following a conference in September 1972 among representatives from the Philippines and Japan, the Mindanao State University which at that time had already developed the technology for breeding penaeid shrimps, was designated as implementing agency of the Project for the Philippine Government. Although shrimp culture was given priority in the initial project plan, it was also agreed that the new Department could undertake, whenever feasible, the culture of other coastal and brackishwater species, and in a subsequent stage, freshwater fish culture. Based on such recommendations and the commitments of the Governments of Japan and the Philippines to support the operations of the new SEAFDEC Department, the Sixth Meeting of the SEAFDEC Council in July 1973 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia agreed to establish the Aquaculture Department in Iloilo, Philippines, adopted the corresponding Plan of Operation and Program of Work, and approved the appointment of Dean Domiciano K. Villaluz as the first Department Chief. True to its word, the Aquaculture Department has since then been pursuing programs on sustainable development and responsible stewardship of aquaculture resources in Southeast Asia through research and promotion of appropriate aquaculture technologies and socio-economic strategies relevant to the sustainability of the aquaculture industry in the region. -
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Sustaining environmental integrity in the midst of intensified aquaculture development
-Fish for the People , 2015 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development CenterThe escalating aquaculture production from Southeast Asia during the past decades seems inevitable notwithstanding its significant contribution to economic growth and guaranteed food security of the countries in the region. Despite its good prospects, the region’s aquaculture sector is being confronted with various issues that should be addressed to enable it to develop sustainably and contribute unceasingly to poverty alleviation in the region. Responsible aquaculture has been practiced in the region as means of easing the crisis in capture fisheries; however, this has to be matched with effective approaches that address concerns on the fishery resources that are deteriorating. Resource enhancement of economically important aquatic species has been considered as one of the effective approaches that would help protect and restore the aquatic resource habitats and stocks, the latter connotes stock enhancement. As could be gleaned from the current scenario of fisheries in the Southeast Asian region, the recurring over-exploitation of common natural resources has affected the livelihoods of fishers and coastal communities. The imbalanced extraction of natural aquatic resources and natural recruitment has worsened through the years and if left unabated could result in the extinction of many of the region’s endemic aquatic species. It is for such consequences that the Aquaculture Department of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, while intensifying its efforts in developing sustainable aquaculture, is also promoting resource enhancement as these two approaches are expected to enhance the region’s fishery resources and food security in view of their perfect roles in improving the productivity of aquatic stocks and status of the natural habitats. Nonetheless, aquaculture techniques have always been used to facilitate the stock enhancement of commercially important, threatened and endangered aquatic species. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the USA defines stock enhancement as “restoration aquaculture” or the release of hatchery-bred juveniles of fish and shellfish to the wild, and considers this approach as a management tool to recover depleted stocks due to overfishing and habitat loss. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has demonstrated that stock enhancement is a type of culture based fisheries since part of the life cycle of certain aquatic species is being controlled in hatcheries before the seeds or juveniles are transplanted or released into open waters — freshwater or brackishwater or marine environments — and allowed to propagate or grow on natural foods until reaching harvestable size. -
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Potentials and prospects of Southeast Asian eel resources for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development
-Fish for the People , 2014 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development CenterThe world demand for river eels has been increasing mainly because of the market expansion of some delicacies such as the kabayaki (broiled eel with sweet soy sauce) in East Asia. While most of the world’s eel production is derived from aquaculture, it should be noted that eel aquaculture is still dependent on the natural resources. As techniques for the full-life cycle aquaculture of eels have not yet been fully developed for commercial use, the eel aquaculture industry is still solely dependent on wild resources for seed stocks. However, the natural resources had been confronted with various factors that could possibly create negative impacts on the eel resources including habitat alteration, overexploitation, climate change, pollution, and incidence of diseases. Thus, concerns on the sustainability of various eel species in the world have increased in recent years. It should be reckoned that the European and American eels are already threatened to certain degree by pollution and damming (or the construction of dams that prevent their migration to freshwater bodies) leading to almost “close to collapse” of the European eel resources. This situation prompted CITES to list the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) in CITES Appendix II in 2009 and accordingly, trade restrictions of the European eel and its products came into effect. In Southeast Asia, it is known that aquaculture and inland capture fisheries of eel are practiced but data and information on the total production of eel in the region remain very minimal. In this regard, the Southeast Asian countries have been encouraged to report their respective eel production to SEAFDEC in order that the status and trend of the region’s eel resources could be established and the statistics could be appropriately reflected in the Fishery Statistical Bulletin of Southeast Asia produced yearly by SEAFDEC. Meanwhile, in an effort to conserve the eel resources in Southeast Asia, SEAFDEC recently launched a project on Conservation, Management and Sustainable Utilization of Eel Resources in Southeast Asia with funding support from the Trust Fund for SEAFDEC of the Fisheries Agency of Japan. -
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Reducing rural poverty and improving lives through sustainable aquaculture: AQD's 40-year saga of mustering strength and expertise for technology development
-Fish for the People , 2013 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development CenterRecognizing the need to promote fisheries development for improving the economies of Southeast Asian countries, the Second Ministerial Conference for the Economic Development of Southeast Asia held in Manila, Philippines in April 1967, agreed to establish the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) based on the recommendations from the First Ministerial Conference for the Economic Development of Southeast Asia in Tokyo, Japan in April 1966 and the subsequent Conference on Agricultural Development in Southeast Asia organized in Tokyo, Japan in December 1966. As soon as the necessary documentations were completed, signing of the Agreement Establishing SEAFDEC took place in Bangkok, Thailand on 28 December 1967 by the Governments of Japan, Malaysia, Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Republic of Vietnam, while the establishment of the Marine Fisheries Training Department in Thailand and Marine Fisheries Research Department in Singapore, under the SEAFDEC umbrella was also finalized. Two years later during its Second Meeting in Singapore in March 1969, the SEAFDEC Council agreed in principle, to establish a new SEAFDEC department to carry out research and development in the field of aquaculture, and organized a study group to identify the appropriate site of the department as well as to draft its plan of operation and working program. During the Fourth Meeting of the SEAFDEC Council in Manila, Philippines on 18-22 January 1971, then Philippine Secretary for Agriculture and Natural Resources Arturo R. Tanco, Jr. informed the SEAFDEC Council that the Philippines had entered into a bilateral agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the implementation of an aquaculture project in the Philippines. It was also during that same Meeting that Secretary Tanco invited the Council to consider incorporating the said aquaculture project into the activities of the proposed new SEAFDEC department to avoid duplication of efforts, and requested the Council to also consider the establishment of such department in the Philippines. Therefore, having considered the position paper of the Philippine Government, the Council agreed in principle, to establish the SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department in the Philippines. Based on results of the series of surveys conducted by a team of Japanese and Filipino aquaculture experts, and after securing the commitments of the Governments of Japan and the Philippines to support the operations of the new department, the SEAFDEC Council at its Sixth Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 3-7 July 1973, agreed to formally establish the Aquaculture Department in Iloilo, Philippines, with the main function of carrying out research, training and extension activities in fish culture, and the rest is history. Now, SEAFDEC has four existing Departments: (Marine Fisheries) Training Department (TD) in Thailand, Marine Fisheries Research Department (MFRD) in Singapore, Aquaculture Department (AQD) in the Philippines, and Marine Fishery Resources Development and Management Department (MFRDMD) in Malaysia. A new department, the Inland Fishery Resources Development and Management Department (IFRDMD) is expected to be formally established very soon in Indonesia. Meanwhile, the Member Countries of SEAFDEC now include all the ASEAN member states, namely: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, plus Japan. -
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Unifying the art, science and business of aquaculture through the information resources and services of SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department Library
-Fish for the People , 2013 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development CenterEstablished in 1973 in Tigbauan, Iloilo, Philippines, the Aquaculture Department (AQD) is one of four Departments of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC). AQD is mandated to conduct scientific research to generate aquaculture technologies relevant and appropriate for the region; develop human resources; and produce, disseminate and exchange information on aquaculture. AQD is committed to sustainable development and the responsible stewardship of aquaculture resources through science-based research and the promotion of appropriate technologies and information relevant to the Southeast Asian region (SEAFDEC/AQD, 2009). The need to disseminate AQD’s research results is as important as the conduct of research in fisheries and aquaculture as referred to in the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (Wilkinson and Collins, 2007). In cognizance of the role that AQD should play with respect to its function of disseminating and exchanging information on aquaculture, the AQD Library was established to support the information needs of AQD scientists and staff. In addition, the Library also provides services to visiting researchers, local and international trainees and students, as well as the diverse users from AQD’s partner institutions. During the strategic planning workshop conducted by AQD in 2009, one of the goals identified was for AQD to strengthen the capacities of the aquaculture sector. Matching with such goal, the Library and Data Banking Services Section of the Training and Information Division identified its information dissemination and services target for 2012. Primarily, AQD Library aims to improve accessibility to archived and updated information, and to create a digital library collection of AQD publications and documents. In keeping up its goal of providing quality, current and relevant information, the Library continues to avail of quality print and non-print information resources, to ensure that it keeps abreast of the advancements in aquaculture and fulfil the diverse information needs of users. The Library also introduces innovations in its services with the purpose of unifying the art, science and business of aquaculture, and strengthens its local and international linkages for efficient sharing of knowledge and resources. -
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Meeting social and economic challenges in Southeast Asian aquaculture: Targeting rural aquaculture development for poverty alleviation
-Fish for the People , 2012 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development CenterIn 2010, five Southeast Asian countries led by Vietnam and followed by Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, and the Philippines, have successfully joined the ranks of the world’s top 10 producers of food fish from aquaculture. Taking into account aquaculture production in general which includes seaweeds, the region’s production from aquaculture had contributed more than 45% to the region’s total fishery production, about 24% to the world’s production from aquaculture, and about 10% to the world’s total fishery production in 2010. As shown in the statistics reports, most of the aforementioned countries recorded double-digit growth rates in aquaculture production from 2006 to 2010, ranging from 18 to 62 percent. Another milestone in the fisheries sector of the region is the engagement of about 11 million people in aquaculture and its ancillary industries. In spite of these figures, the region’s rural areas where aquaculture development is taking giant strides remain the most impoverished groups in most countries of Southeast Asia. In an attempt to address this concern, SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department compiled the results of the implementation of its program on Meeting Social and Economic Challenges in Aquaculture which had been tried in local setting in the Philippines, with the objective of developing aquaculture technology adoption pathways that could be promoted in the other Southeast Asian countries with the same conditions as those in study sites in the Philippines, as means of alleviating poverty in rural areas. -
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Promoting sustainable aquaculture development to increase fish supply and improve livelihoods of rural people in Southeast Asia
-Fish for the People , 2011 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center -
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SEAFDEC Regional Fish Disease Program: Safeguarding the quality of aquaculture products and environmental integrity of the southeast Asian region
-Fish for the People , 2009 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center -
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Sustainable tilapia farming: a challenge to rural development
-Fish for the People , 2008 - Secretariat, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development CenterThe availability of improved Nile tilapia strains is a major factor that has opened up new avenues for renewed growth in the tilapia industry especially in the rural sector. This was hailed as a positive development in the tilapia industry because it promised opportunities for improvement of the rural economy. Although this article discussed the development of tilapia aquaculture in the Philippines, other countries can learn from this experience specifically in addressing challenges related to rural development.
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