Distribution of nervous necrosis virus in asymptomatically infected orange-spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides was determined by PCR assay in this study. Fourteen different tissues and organs were collected from apparently healthy groupers including seven individuals of broodstock and 17 juveniles with body weight ranging from 4 to 12 kg and from 2 to 9 g, respectively. No cytopathic effects were found in E-11 cells inoculated with filtrates of sample homogenates. However, all the broodstock and juveniles were positive by nested PCR test except for one juvenile. One hundred percent detection rate of the virus was obtained only from the brain.

The toxicity of formalin and trifluralin to the larval stages of the mud crab Scylla serrata was compared in a static bioassay. Prophylactic doses of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 μg L⁻¹ formalin and 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.8 μg L⁻¹ trifluralin were used. Toxicity was assessed on the basis of survival of larvae after 24, 48, 72 and 96 h exposure to the test chemicals and metamorphosis to the next larval stage. Result shows that larval survival in all stages was significantly reduced at concentrations of 20 and 25 μg L⁻¹ formalin whereas larvae were able to tolerate all trifluralin treatments. However, larvae became more tolerant to high formalin concentrations as the larval stage progressed. Survival was better at 5, 10 and 15 μg L⁻¹ formalin and in all trifluralin treatments than the control in almost all the larval stages. Faster metamorphosis was observed at 5 and 10 μg L⁻¹ formalin and 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 μg L⁻¹ trifluralin concentrations. Doses of formalin and trifluralin obtained from the toxicity experiments were applied as prophylaxis to newly hatched larvae in white plastic basins. Prophylactic doses of 5 and 10 μg L⁻¹ formalin and 0.05 and 0.1 μg L⁻¹ trifluralin applied every other day were found to be effective in enhancing survival and larval development to megalopa compared with control. However, no megalopae survived to crab instar in all formalin treatments. Although the use of fungicides in rearing systems resulted in higher survival compared with controls, other strategies (i.e. maintenance of good water quality and hygienic practices in the hatchery) should be further investigated as an alternative to the use of chemicals in hatcheries.

Phytoplankton supports fisheries and aquaculture production. Its vital role as food for aquatic animals, like mollusks, shrimp, and fish cannot be overemphasized. Because of its contribution as a food source for fish, the growth kinetics of Microcystis aeruginosa, a dominant cyanobacterium in the lake, was studied. The regular occurrence of M. aeruginosa is experienced during the months of May to July or from September to November in Laguna de Bay, the largest freshwater lake in the Philippines. M. aeruginosa was collected from Laguna de Bay, isolated, and established in axenic conditions. Data on the growth kinetic parameters for nitrate-nitrogen and phosphate-phosphorus utilization by M. aeruginosa gave the following values: half-saturation constant (K_s), 0.530 mg N. L⁻¹ and 0.024 mg P. L⁻¹ respectively; maximum growth rate (μ_max), 0.671. d⁻¹ and 0.668. d⁻¹ respectively; maximum cell yield, 6.5 and 6.54 log, cells. ml⁻¹ respectively; nutrient level for saturated growth yield, 8.71 mg N. L⁻¹ and 0.22 mg P. L⁻¹ respectively; and minimum cell quota (Q₀), 2.82 pg N. cell⁻¹ and 0.064 pg P. cell⁻¹ respectively. The low K_s value and high maximum growth rate (μ_max) for phosphorus by M. aeruginosa would suggest a high efficiency of phosphorus utilization. On the other hand, the high K_s value for nitrogen indicated a low rate of uptake for this nutrient.

Competition for coastal land use and overexploitation have reduced or degraded mangrove coverage throughout much of their distribution, especially in South-east Asia. Timber production was the initial motivation for early mangrove reforestation projects. More recently, benefits from protection against erosion and extreme weather events and direct improvements in livelihoods and food security are perceived as justifications for such restoration efforts. This study examines the socioeconomic impacts of a community-led reforestation project in the Philippines through a survey of the local fishers. Revenues from mangrove fisheries, tourism and timber result in an annual benefit to the community of US$ 315 ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. This figure is likely to be considerably more if the contribution of the mangrove to the coastal catch of mangrove-associated species is included. This estimate only includes direct benefits to the community from mangroves, and not intangible benefits such as coastal protection, which paradoxically is perceived by the community as one of the most important functions. More than 90% of all fishers, regardless of where they fished, thought the mangrove provided protection from storms and typhoons and acted as a nursery site and should be protected. Those fishing only in the mangrove perceived more benefits from the mangrove and were prepared to pay more to protect it than those fishing outside. This study concludes that replanting mangroves can have a significant economic impact on the lives of coastal communities. Acknowledgement of the value of replanted mangroves compared with other coastal activities and the benefits they bring to the more economically-vulnerable coastal dwellers should support better informed policy and decision-making with regard to coastal habitat restoration.

The efficiency of Tilapia hornorum to control luminous bacteria in a simulated shrimp farm environment has been reported. However, the effects of different factors such as feed input and the shrimp biomass were not taken into consideration. This study investigated the effect of feeding and increased shrimp biomass on the efficiency of tilapia to inhibit the growth of luminous bacteria. Results showed that feeding enhances the antibacterial activity or improves the efficiency of tilapia to inhibit the growth of luminous bacteria. However, the efficiency of tilapia at a biomass of 500 g/m³ is reduced if the shrimp biomass is greater than 80 g/m³. This explains the discrepancies in the results obtained in the use of tilapia to control luminous bacterial disease in shrimp ponds. The effect of starvation on the bacterial load of tilapia, grouper and milkfish feces and the amount of feces in the intestine was also investigated. Results showed that total bacterial and presumptive Vibrio count of fish feces decreased after 1 week of starvation except for the presumptive Vibrio count of grouper. The amount of feces in the intestine also decreased as starvation progressed. Moreover, bacteria isolated from the three species have antibacterial activity against the luminous bacteria Vibrio harveyi.

Levels of highly-unsaturated fatty acids, the most important nutritional factors in fry production of marine fish, were compared between hatchery-produced and wild-caught milkfish Chanos chanos fry. The most striking difference found between the fry was in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA: 22:6n-3) levels: DHA levels in hatchery-produced fry were only 37% and 18% of those in wild-caught fry in the polar lipids and neutral lipids, respectively. However, high DHA levels were detected in ovary and spawned eggs from hatchery-reared broodstock. Investigation on the time course change in DHA levels of hatchery-produced fry revealed that the DHA levels of polar lipids drastically declined from 25% at day 0 posthatching to 5% at day 14 posthatching. Nannochloropsis sp. and rotifers Brachionus sp., which were used as live food from day 2 to day 14, did not contain DHA with relatively high eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA: 20:5n-3) levels. DHA level was restored to 13% in 45-day old fry by feeding of formulated diets with a substantial amount of DHA from day 15. Thus, the lack of DHA in the live food appears to lead to the low DHA level in hatchery-produced fry. On the other hand, the cost of DHA enrichment for one milkfish fry was estimated to be 2.6 Philippines centavos, which is equivalent to about 10% of the market price of milkfish fry. The increase of the production cost might not be accepted in domestic hatcheries under competitive marketing with imported fry. Financial and marketing support by the government will be one of the measures to encourage the stable production of domestic milkfish fry with high quality in the Philippines. It is also necessary to conduct institutional campaigns to inform local fry producers and milkfish farmers of the importance of DHA-enrichment.

An assessment of the extensive fringing reefs surrounding Mararison lsland, Culasi, Antique was undertaken in 1994 to 1996 and in 1998 to provide scientific basis for management and enhancement of the island s resources as part of the Community Fisheries Resource Management project launched in 1991. The fringing reefs on the northwest side of the island are characterized by high percent coral cover (53-65%) consisting of very diverse coral species. The dominant forms are branching non-Acropora,with numerous small colonies of other coral forms. In contrast, the southeast side of the island fronting the fishing village is depau perate (4.7 -17.6% coral cover) with few small colonies of encrusting and massive corals characteristic of stressed reefs. However, highest coral cover consisting of dense stands of branching Acropora interspersed with branching non-Acropora was observed along the reef slope of Nablag station located at the western end of the island. Coral cover in the offshore reef (Guiob) was relatively fair (24%-46%). A total of 166 scleractinian corals were seen although only few species occurred frequently or provided high percent coral cover. Following the bleaching event of 1998, dramatic decreases (30%-61%) in live coral cover, particularly along the reef slopes, were observed in all stations.

Odontamblyopus lacepedii is an eel goby that inhabits both coastal waters and intertidal zones in East Asia, including Japan. The fish excavates burrows in mudflats but, unlike the sympatric amphibious mudskippers, it does not emerge but stays in the burrows filled with hypoxic water during low tide. Endoscopic observations of the field burrows demonstrated that the fish breathed air in the burrow opening; air breathing commenced 1.3 h following burrow emersion, when water P_O2 was ∼2.8 kPa, with an air-breathing frequency (f_AB) of 7.3±2.9 breaths h^–1 (mean ± s.d., N=5). Laboratory experiments revealed that the fish is a facultative air breather. It never breathed air in normoxic water (P_O2=20.7 kPa) but started bimodal respiration when water P_O2 was reduced to 1.0–3.1 kPa. The fish held air inside the mouth and probably used the gills as gas-exchange surfaces since no rich vascularization occurred in the mouth linings. As is known for other air-breathing fishes, f_AB increased with decreasing water P_O2. Both buccal gas volume (V_B) and inspired volume (V_I) were significantly correlated with body mass (M_b). At a given M_b, V_I was nearly always equal to V_B, implying almost complete buccal gas renewal in every breathing cycle. A temporal reduction in expired volume (V_E) was probably due to a low aerial gas exchange ratio (CO₂ elimination/O₂ uptake). Air breathing appears to have evolved in O. lacepedii as an adaptation to aquatic hypoxia in the burrows. The acquisition of the novel respiratory capacity enables this species to stay in the burrows during low tide and extends the resident time in the mudflat, thereby increasing its chances of tapping the rich resources of the area.

This paper describes the occurrence of an epiphyte infestation of Kappaphycus farms in Calaguas Is. Camarines Norte, Philippines. In particular, percentage cover of ‘goose bump’-Polysiphonia and ‘ice-ice’ disease, and some environmental parameters that influence the thallus condition of Kappaphycus alvarezii in Calaguas Is. were assessed during 3 separate visits and are discussed. Commercial cultivation of Kappaphycus at Calaguas Is. began in the early 1990s. After five years of farming, the stock was destroyed by a strong typhoon. The area was re-planted the following year and production increased annually and reached its peak in 1998–1999. However, the following year, the first occurrence of a Polysiphonia epiphyte infestation occurred concurrently with an ‘ice-ice’ disease. Consequently, annual production and the number of seaweed planters declined rapidly, and this situation persists to the present time. This paper highlights the etiological factors and their consequences. Results show that farm-site selection is critical for the success of Kappaphycus production. Characteristics of water movement and light intensity in farming areas contributed to the occurrence and detrimental effect of the phenomenon described as ‘goose bumps’: a morphological distortion of the host seaweed due to the presence of a Polysiphonia sp. epiphyte. A strong inverse correlation was observed between the occurrence of Polysiphonia and water movement: areas with low water motion registered a higher % cover (65%) of Polysiphonia than those in more exposed areas (17%). Although ‘goose bump’-Polysiphonia infestation and ‘ice-ice’ disease pose a tremendous problem to the seaweed farmers, the results of this limited assessment provide a useful baseline for future work.