Before starting an aquaculture venture, it is necessary to first select an appropriate project site. Doing this ensures that money invested in the project is not later wasted because the site does not meet the requirements of the culture organism. It also makes sure that the environment is not compromised and will be able to sustain the aquaculture activities. Two major parameters are considered during site selection. These are the 1) physico-chemical; and 2) environmental parameters. Physico-chemical parameters affect the health of the culture organisms while the environmental parameters will give insights on the sustainability of the aquaculture venture. However, the task does not end with site selection. Monitoring of the aquatic environments is also essential to note any changes in the environment that may affect the aquaculture project and the environment itself.

A 64-page booklet that describes SEAFDEC/AQD’s community fishery resources management project from 1991 to 1998 with a post project assessment in 2009.

This monograph provides updated information on diseases of marine and brackishwater cultured milkfish in the Philippines. The information presented here is largely based on the results of a three-year research project on milkfish at the University of the Philippines Visayas funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The project involved surveillance and monitoring of hatchery, nursery and grow-out operations for occurrence of diseases as well as on disease diagnosis, prevention and control. Previously documented reports in the Philippines and in other documents, both published and unpublished, are also included in this monograph. The diseases are discussed on a culture phase basis, that is, disease problems encountered in hatchery-reared larvae and fry are listed first, followed by diseases observed in fingerlings and juveniles grown in nursery and grow-out culture areas, and adult stages maintained in broodstock facilities. Information regarding the causative agent, diagnostic procedures, and methods of prevention and control for each disease are provided, if available.

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.

This report describes the present state of marine resources in several coastal barangays of Ibajay and Tangalan, Aklan (Philippines). Field data were obtained from rapid surveys conducted from July to September 1998. Recommendations based on analyses of the data will guide fisherfolk and other stakeholders, particularly the local government units, in their development plans for these neighboring municipalities. Both land and marine products in the area are mainly harvested for the local market. All coastal barangays are dependent on fishing for their livelihood. The medium-scale municipal fishery of Tangalan employs several passive (encircling gill net, bag net, fish corral) and active gears (baby purse seine) compared with the traditional fishing methods employed by Ibajay fishers. Pond aquaculture in mangrove areas is well-developed in Ibajay West (barangays Aquino and Ondoy) and in Tangalan. However, ownership of these ponds is limited to a few individuals and families, unlike in Barangay Bugtong Bato where informal ownership distributed among families has been the traditional rule. Nonetheless, the introduction of so-called environment-friendly methods of utilizing mangroves (e.g., aquasilviculture) and other shared coastal resources may seriously undermine the informal rights-based social structures in the barangays. Without proper rules and enforcement, the application of these methods may be misused, aggravating the already poor overall state of their coastal resources. Major problems affecting their fishing livelihood include siltation of nearshore waters due to illegal deforestation upland, encroachment of municipal fishing grounds by commercial and other fishers elsewhere, and the lack of capital to finance the fishery. Weak inter-organizational links among government and non-government organizations have hampered the implementation of solutions to these common problems in coastal barangays. For instance, a conflict between fishers from these neighboring municipalities over territorial boundaries of common fishing grounds in Pangayawan and Pungtod reefs has not been resolved over the years. Likewise, the introduction of aquasilviculture in mangrove areas may become a potent source of conflict among resource-users who maintain informal rights over the mangrove resource. The overall state of coastal resources in these municipalities is in immediate need of a unified plan to promote both their preservation and conservation. To achieve this end, a joint resource management council representing all resource-users from both municipalities must be organized and convened. To address the presently weak inter-organizational links among existing organizations, this joint council may provide a legitimate forum to identify, resolve, integrate, implement, and enforce guidelines on the common use of resources, both marine and inland. Low estimated yields from the reef fishery, conversion of mangroves for aquaculture beyond the allowable limit, a persistent conflict over fishing rights in several reefs offshore, the limited resources for seaweed and fish mariculture, and threats on existing traditional social structures by progressive resource-users are several issues that require thorough discussions to formulate popularly approved and acceptable management strategies. These strategies include community-based approaches of co-managing resources such as "no-take zones" (sanctuaries), ecotourism development, and livelihood schemes to mitigate, in part, the pressure of over-exploitation of fishery resources.

Documents the presentations at ADSEA '91, the 2nd Seminar-Workshop on Aquaculture Development in Southeast Asia. ADSEA '91 includes reviews of the status of the researches conducted by Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD) on the following cultured species sea bass, groupers, snappers, milkfish, rabbitfish, mullet, tilapia, carp, catfish, bivalves and the seaweed Gracilaria. Topics on aquaculture development in Southeast Asia and Japan were also discussed. The status and development of seafarming and searanching in different SEAFDEC member countries and their ecological, social and economic implications were also presented. The contributions of the selected participants during the meeting which are contained in this volume are cited individually.