Promoting sustainable aquaculture of freshwater species: The continuous quest for alternative feeds and adoption of feeding strategies
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Abstract
Among farm inputs, feeds are the highest recurring cost in aquaculture. Indeed, feeds have become even more expensive after the COVID-19 pandemic, undeniably affecting the aquaculture economics. The pressing need to alleviate feed costs has to be prioritized, considering its implications for sustained aquaculture production to support the ever-increasing global population. Substantially, the rising costs of manufactured feeds have driven the continuous quest for new alternative feed ingredients in aquafeeds and the adoption of feed management strategies to improve the profitability of aquaculture operations. These two strategies addressed in this study are imperative in promoting freshwater aquaculture among the ASEAN Member States. This article highlights the exploration of feeding trials using alternative protein sources and feeding strategies. Because of their economic relevance to the freshwater aquaculture industry in the Philippines, Nile tilapia, giant freshwater prawn, and tropical anguillid eel, particularly the Pacific shortfin eel, were chosen in this study.
Suggested Citation
Aya, F., Ito, S., de la Peńa, L. D., & Bautista, R. T. (2024). Promoting sustainable aquaculture of freshwater species: The continuous quest for alternative feeds and adoption of feeding strategies. Fish for the People , 22(2), 30-34. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12066/7520
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magazineArticleCollections
- Fish for the People [41]
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(Aquaculture Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, 1988)Aquaculture practised in Thailand is in the form of pond culture and cage culture in freshwater, brackishwater and coastal areas. The main species cultured include freshwater prawns, brackishwater shrimp, cockles, mussels, and various freshwater and marine finfishes. There is good potential for increased production from freshwater, brackishwater and marine aquaculture. However, the 1983 production of 145 000 mt represents only about 6% of Thailand's total fish production and production in this subsector has fluctuated widely. It will be several years before aquaculture production will contribute substantially to total production. Nonetheless, the culture of high value species of shrimp and fish could contribute significantly to export earnings during the next 5 to 10 years. Conducted primarily by government agencies, research and development are along the lines of increasing seed supply, establishing new culture techniques or improving older ones. The Department of Fisheries (DOF) together with some private companies have ventured into the development and testing of artificial diets for the various cultured species using a variety of indigenous feed stuffs. It is estimated that with adequate investments and appropriate support, aquaculture production will increase from 145 000 mt in 1983 to 378 000 mt in 1991, showing an annual increase of about 13% over this period. Major increases would come from bivalve mariculture (131 000 mt), brackishwater ponds (36 000 mt) freshwater ponds (46 000 mt) and brackishwater cage culture (20 000 mt). -
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Series: Aquaculture Extension Manual; No. 80
On-farm aquafeed production for small-scale freshwater aquaculture
Aya, Frolan
; Romana-Eguia, Maria Rowena R. ; Cuvin-Aralar, Maria Lourdes (Aquaculture Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, 2026-07)
With the increasing demand for food fish as the primary source of dietary protein, some aquaculture practices have shifted from traditional to semi-intensive or intensive system, requiring the use of feeds for successful growth of aquaculture. Alone, feeds are considered as a costly input in aquaculture, comprising over 50 % of the total operating costs. Most, if not all farms in the country, are relying on commercial feeds which are either imported or locally produced. For many years, locally available materials have been studied for their potential as alternative protein sources or feed additives in fish feeds. Utilization of these alternative or non-conventional feed sources with little or no use as human food may provide reasonable options in feed formulation. In the Philippines, there is a potential for fish farmers to develop and utilize local feedstuff resources to manufacture their own feeds. However, limited information on nutrient requirements of fish species, available feed ingredients and their nutritional value, processing techniques, and the preparation of farm-made feeds are available to the small-scale farmers. Given the rising cost of feeds, it is important to provide small scale farm operators, the option to make their own feeds. This manual is written for fish farmers engaged in small-scale freshwater fish culture, particularly during grow-out. It intends to provide information on the components of fish feed, indigenous or locally sourced ingredients for feeds and their processing techniques, and ultimately to assist the small-scale fish farmers in using modest equipment to make farm- made feeds to feed their stocks.
