Fishfarmers join hands to save shrimp industry

Close to a thousand shrimp growers in the country met recently in Bacolod City and agreed to join hands in solving the problems besetting the shrimp industry.

In a display of oneness, they passed seven resolutions which they considered urgent and necessary to save the moribund shrimp industry.

In the 1980s, shrimp production emerged as a "sunshine" industry following breakthroughs in research, particularly in the induced spawning, shrimp seed production in the nursery, and the completion of the life cycle of the tiger prawn (Penaeus monoden) in captivity.

The breakthroughs were chalked up by the government-hosted, "Tigbauan, Iloilo-based Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC AQD).

As tiger prawn seeds and feeds became available, shrimp grew-out in ponds spread all over Asia and the world.

In the case of the Philippines, by 1993-1994 it had evolved as the third biggest shrimp producer in the world.

But the boom proved short-lived as many Filipino fishfarmers went intensive, stocking as high as 500,000 shrimp fry per hectare. Disease problems, spawned by the industry’s "self-generated pollution," occurred and mortalities were almost total.

Many subsequently stopped operation and by 1998 the Philippines had precipitously downglided to No. 8 shrimp producer from No. 3.

In recent years, however, new environment-friendly shrimp farming technologies have been achieved, particularly by SEAFDEC AQD. And with new shrimp disease diagnostic techniques and the strong support being given by the government, the recovery of the industry from a severe slump is expected to be accelerated.

To further tackle the problems head-on, those who attended the Third National Shrimp Congress in Bacolod City last July 1-4 passed seven resolutions to ensure the recuperation of the dying industry.

The congress was organized by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR), Philippine Shrimp Association (PHILSHRIMP), SEAFDEC AQD, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Board of Investments (BOI), and Negros Prawn Producers Marketing Cooperatives (NPPMC).

Four of the resolutions were addressed to the DA for consideration. These were the recognition of the newly organized PHILSHRIMP as the legitimate and official entity to represent the country’s shrimp industry, reevaluation of the business viability of shrimp culture and creation of new financial schemes for shrimp farming (also addressed to DTI) strengthening and expansion of existing diagnostic laboratories in the regional offices of DA, and establishment of a regular program of DA to support the development of the country’s shrimp industry.

The three others are abolition of the controversial power purchase adjustment (PPA), adherence to environmental sustainability, and supporting the full implementation of Fisheries Administrative Order 207 series of 2001 and its related laws and regulations.

During the three-day congress, the participants expressed their views on the government’s role in making the local shrimp industry globally competitive. They also availed themselves of the technological advances in shrimp production.

Among the issues discussed were an overview of the Philippine and global shrimp industries; government policies; shrimp culture experiences in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Australia; pond dynamics; present and emerging shrimp disease problems (luminous bacteria, viral diseases); diagnostic molecular diagnosis and prospects for field applications; shrimp culture inputs innovation (probiotics, bioremdiation, bioaugmentation, and immunostimulation); and potential markets for shrimps.

In his message, Agriculture Secretary Leonardo Q. Montemayor said that the congress signalled the "reinvigoration of the industry that saw an almost total collapse in the 1980s owing to environment-related problems."

Montemayor added that with the growing consciousness on the limitations of the environment and its sustainability, he finds no reason why the industry cannot bounce back to its glory years two decades ago.

BFAR Director Malcolm Sarmiento Jr. also expressed the hope that the shrimp farmers would commit themselves to the Code of Practice for Sustainable Shrimp Farming.

The Code of Practice is based on the guidelines set by the Global Aquaculture Alliance, which focused on environment-friendly schemes of shrimp farming.