This study examined the feeding selectivity of Hippocampus kuda juveniles under captive conditions and evaluates different food organisms that could be used to improve hatchery-rearing of this species. Newly born H. kuda were reared for 10 days in 60-L capacity tanks and fed rotifers (Brachionus rotundiformis), zooplankton (mostly Pseudodiaptomus annandalei and Acartia tsuensis) alone or both food sources. The size and amount of food ingested increased as seahorses grew. Selective feeding of seahorses appeared to change as they develop, preferring copepod adults over nauplii and rotifers. A. tsuensis was highly selected by juveniles over P. annandalei. Specific growth rate in terms of body weight (SGR-BW, 15% day^–1) was the highest and mortality rate (9% at day 10) the lowest in seahorses fed a mixed food sources. Slowest growth rate (0.3% day^–1) and highest mortality rate (60% at day 7) were observed in seahorses fed rotifers alone. These results indicate that copepods are suitable food for seahorse juveniles, but a mixture of food organisms in the rearing tank environment enhances survivorship and growth of H. kuda, thus potentially providing a source of cultured rather than wild specimens for characterizing the life history of this threatened species.

Determination of the presence/absence of coliforms as the pollution indicator bacteria, total coliform count (TCC) and fecal coliform counts specifically Echerichia coli were carried out on specific sampling points in Jalaur River namely: Banban Pequeño (upstream), Calinog, Moroboro, Dingle, Passi near Sugar Central Mill and National Power Corporation (NPC) (midstream), and Nabitasan, Leganes (downstream) during the wet and dry months. Samples were analyzed using a defined technology, the Colilert® method, and its accuracy was verified with the conventional method (APHA Standard Methods). Results showed that coliforms were present in all sampling sites. In Calinog, total coliform count (TCC) was high (900 x10¹ MPN/100 ml) in July. Increased coliform abundance was associated with high rainfall due to animal wastes that were carried by runoffs. In September, Passi, near NPC, TCC and E. coli counts were 640 x10¹ and 630 x 10¹ MPN/100 ml, respectively. Reduction in counts in January, February and March was observed. Sediments in Passi near Sugar Central Mill during milling time in February showed a high TCC of 116 x 10⁴ MPN/100 ml which was attributed to reduced current and disturbance, and silty loam sediments texture that favored bacterial adsorption to sediments. Dingle site exhibited a domination of other coliforms over E. coli in January and March. In Leganes, highest TCC of 551 x 10¹ MPN/100 ml was obtained in September. Coliform loads varied by season which was influenced by the availability of the nutrients and tolerance range to physical and chemical factors in the environment. Variability of the resultant interaction can also be attributed to climate changes such as extreme weather events—El niño phenomenon and increased nutrient loadings during heavy rains hence, increased coliform concentration in the river. The presence of coliforms in Jalaur River is indicative of contamination that can be aggravated by climate changes and implies that a potential health risk associated with pathogens causing water-borne diseases is present.

This chapter presents the viral, bacterial, pseudofungal and parasitic diseases in cultured warm freshwater fish. Focus is given on the distribution, causative agent, pathology, diagnosis, prevention and control of these diseases.

This chapter suggests that the market, as an economic and social institution, has important roles and a multitude of opportunities to contribute to the strategies for managing the crisis, in fisheries. The crisis apparently was an outcome of the complex interplay of variables such as increasing fishing pressure, depleting fish stocks, low income among small-scale fishers, social inequity in the fishery sector and inadequate management of the fishery and related resources.

Biophysical impacts of aquaculture, with consequences for biodiversity, vary with species and culture systems and include issues such as: nutrient enrichment/removal, chemicals, land use, species introductions, genetic flow to wild populations, disturbance of balance or introduction of pathogen/parasites, consumption of capture fishery resources, energy, and greenhouse gas emissions. Guiding principles, labeling schemes and various tools are needed to analyze performance and conformance. Ecological footprints and life-cycle analysis aim to capture biophysical performance, including up- and downstream effects of policy decisions. Aquaculture provides a range of services but also makes demands and impacts on ecosystem functions, services, and thus biodiversity.

A rapid assessment of the resiliency of small-holder fishfarmers in selected communities in the Philippines was conducted to gather the fishfarmers’ observations and insights about climate change and market prices, and the impacts of climate change on their environment, livelihood and life, in general, and to learn measures they have adopted to cope with adverse situations. The study sites were communities that were undertaking aquaculture livelihood, with technical support from the Aquaculture Department of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Centre or SEAFDEC/AQD and logistical assistance from their local governments and international and private donors. The climate change phenomena observed in the study sites were flash floods, sea level rises, increases in temperature, stronger waves, and longer dry season (drought). The major ecological impacts were mortality of marine flora and fauna, destruction of aquaculture facilities (cages and ponds), disruption of aquaculture protocol, and frequent occurrence of fish diseases. As a result, fishfarmers suffered substantial financial losses that forced them to either borrow more money (most are already heavily indebted), or stop operation until financial support is available. To help each other survive common hardships, the fishfarmers resorted to the Philippine traditional “bayanihan” system or collective action for their common good. Rapid assessment studies can only provide initial insights on the situation in the community. A more comprehensive and integrated methodology to include various dimensions (human, ecological, economic, technological and institutional) is recommended in future studies on climate change.

In Southeast Asian countries, a large proportion of shrimp aquaculture has switched its target species from native black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon, to exotic P. vannamei because of frequent viral disease outbreaks. One of the causes of disease outbreaks is thought to be poor water and sediment conditions in the shrimp pond, which aggravate disease symptoms. To establish co-culture methods of black tiger shrimp and sandfish, Holothuria scabra, for possible mitigation of shrimp pond eutrophication and prevention of disease outbreaks, laboratory experiments were conducted at the Aquaculture Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC/AQD) in Iloilo, Philippines. A feeding trial of juvenile H. scabra using benthic diatom, Navicula ramossisima, and powdered P. monodon feed showed that H. scabra do not grow with fresh shrimp feed on a hard substrate. A feeding trial with and without sand substrate with shrimp feed as food showed that the substrates enhance the growth of H. scabra. H. scabra juveniles were found to grow with detritus and P. monodon feces as food sources in tanks. It was also shown that addition of ground oyster shell to the sand substrate enhances the growth of H. scabra when fed with N. ramossisima. Thus, these results suggest that H. scabra can grow by feeding on organic matter present in a P. monodon pond and may be used to mitigate organic load in P. monodon ponds.

Due to frequent viral disease outbreaks, a large proportion of shrimp aquaculture in South-East Asian countries has switched from black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) to P. vannamei, an exotic species originally imported from Latin America. One of the causes of disease outbreaks is thought to be poor water and sediment conditions in the shrimp ponds, which may aggravate disease symptoms. To obtain basic information for co-culture methods of black tiger shrimp and sandfish (Holothuria scabra) for possible mitigation of shrimp-pond eutrophication and prevention of disease outbreaks, basic laboratory experiments were conducted at the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center—Aquaculture Department in Iloilo, the Philippines. A feeding trial of juvenile sandfish showed that they do not grow well with fresh shrimp feed on hard substrate. Another trial indicated that sand substrate enhances the growth of juvenile sandfish fed with shrimp feed. A feeding trial using shrimp tank detritus, shrimp faeces and Navicula ramosissima (a benthic diatom) as food sources showed that sandfish grew fastest with the faeces, followed by detritus and N. ramosissima. Dissolved oxygen consumption and acid-volatile sulfur levels in the shrimp tank detritus were reduced by sandfish feeding. This suggests that sandfish are capable of growing with organic matter in shrimp ponds, and can bioremediate shrimp-pond sediment.

The focus of this paper is on the governance of small-scale or municipal fisheries in the Philippines in light of the critical role they play in the livelihoods of coastal communities and in the nation as a whole. Annually, some 1.3 million metric tons of fish are harvested from the country’s 17,460 km coastline and 496,000 ha of inland water bodies. This sub-sector contributes significantly to the Philippine economy, supplies the bulk of the dietary fish requirement for over 90 million Filipinos who consume around 38 kg/capita/year, and provides direct employment to 1.4 million fishers. Despite eight national fisheries plans from 1972 to 2010, four major externally funded fisheries programs and thousands of local initiatives, the failures and inadequacies in governance of small-scale fisheries are conspicuous. They are made evident by depleted fishery resources, degraded fish habitats, intensified resource use competition and conflict, post-harvest losses, limited institutional capabilities, inadequate and inconsistent fisheries policies, and weak institutional partnerships. Although there are suitable governance arrangements in place, there needs to be better clarification of management functions between and among the various bodies at different administrative levels. Up-scaling small-scale fisheries management and expanding institutional partnerships would be beneficial. Six ‘core’ strategies are proposed to help promote the sustainability of small-scale fisheries: (1) sustain—conservation and rational use of fishery resources; (2) protect—preventive steps to manage threats to habitats and/or ecosystems that support fisheries; (3) develop—development of small-scale fisheries in geographically-appropriate areas, including promotion of livelihoods; (4) capacitate—enhancing the capacity of municipal fishers and relevant stakeholders; (5) institutionalize—organizational integration including scaling-up of fisheries management; and (6) communicate—generation of pertinent information and translation into appropriate formats for practical transmission. In pursuit of multiple objectives, the governance of small-scale fisheries will continue to be a delicate balancing act. However, it will be the more judicious allocation of administrative resources by local government units to small-scale fisheries, as well as the continuing support of national government agencies and civil society groups, that will be most critical over the longer term.