Status of P. vannamei aquaculture in the Philippines.

Abstract

Shrimp industry in the Philippines refers only to P. monodon, the only penaeid species being exported abroad. It is grown almost all over the country from Northern Luzon to Southernmost part of Mindanao. The culture of tiger prawn locally known as “sugpo” started as a secondary species since only small quantity could be harvested with milkfish. Although growing of this shrimp could be as old as milkfish, it was only in 1951 when it was considered as primary species. Dependent on seed stocks from the natural wild fry, it is on this year when the first propagation of P. monodon in brackishwater grow out pond was documented. Its full commercialization, however, was realized in the 1980’s where it had to wait for the hatchery technology in order to meet the national production demand. Below is the development history of the tiger prawn industry in the Philippines.