RP-based center develops environment friendly shrimp production technology

TAGBILARAN CITY – An environment-friendly shrimp production technology developed by a Philippine-based aquaculture center continues to show the way toward the recovery of the country’s moribund shrimp industry.

The technology was developed by the government-hosted Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC AQD) based in Tigbauan, Iloilo.

It employs mitigation measures such as salinity reduction, physical and biological filtration of the culture system, use of reservoir and settling ponds, biomanipulators, good quality shrimp fry, good quality feeds and an efficient feeding protocol, and long-arm paddlewheels for better aeration and water circulation.

The transfer of the technology is being fast-tracked through the Joint Mission for Accelerated Nationwide Technology Transfer Program (JMANTTP), a collaborative undertaking of SEAFDEC AQD and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

Phase 1 started with field tests done in 1999 in SEAFDEC AQD ponds in Dumangas, Iloilo; and BFAR ponds in Batangas, Bohol, and Lanao del Norte.

Phase 2, which is ongoing, involves private prawn operators nationwide by using their farms, which is the ultimate goal in the revival of the local prawn industry.

Among the latest to considerably benefit from the technology were Albertito Siochi of Nasugbu, Batangas; Antonio Campos of Banate, Iloilo; and Marlito Uy of Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

Like those who had earlier adopted the technology, the three have realized big profit by using the SEAFDEC AQD-developed technology.

Siochi said in a letter to Dr. Rolando R. Platon, SEAFDEC AQD chief, that three of his earthen ponds with an area of .3 hectare each yielded a total production of 5.861 tons (average production of 1.953 t/pond).

"On per hectare basis, I got 6.5 tons per hectare. We can’t just imagine getting a gross sale of P2.182 million out of this exercise in such a short period of time (115 days) and reasonably smaller expense," he said.

Campos also reported that from his 0.7 ha pond stocked at 15 prawns per square meter, he harvested 3.7 tons in 110 days of culture.

He earned a gross income of P1.208 million at a lesser expense.

"The prawns were healthy and the stocks were harvested with very negligible unwanted species. Thanks to the schemes introduced by your TVS (Technology Verification Section) staff," he said.

Uy also recalled that before SEAFDEC AQD and BFAR, through JMANTTP, conducted a "Skills Development Session" in Tagbilaran City in December 2001, prawn farms in Bohol had been ravaged by the destructive luminous bacteria that greatly reduced prawn production and severely affected not only the production of his Marcela Farms’ processing plant but also its feed mill.

"We had tested all available technology but to no avail," he said in a letter to Dr. Platon. He added: "We, on the other hand, could not quit for we had already poured in big investment and a lot of labor and allied industries in our region would likewise be affected."

Uy concluded: "The technology that was imparted to us had greatly improved our production."

JMANTTP was launched by SEAFDEC AQD and BFAR to make available technologies developed by AQD to its host country, the Philippines.

Specifically, the program aims to promote sustainable aquaculture technologies that are economically viable, environment-friendly, and socially equitable to increase fish production, export revenues, employment, and livelihood options for the fisherfolk; to facilitate technology transfer by demonstrating sustainable technologies in strategic areas nationwide to serve as skill-learning centers for fishfarmers, fisherfolk, entrepreneurs, and other end-users; and to implement the "Oplan Sagip Sugpo" for rehabilitating the country’s troubled shrimp industry.

"This collaborative effort with SEAFDEC AQD to rehabilitate the prawn industry is another milestone for BFAR," Director Malcolm Sarmiento Jr. said. "With successful results obtained in the first two years that we have been implementing this project, I can confidently recommend the use of the environment-friendly schemes in prawn farming to the private sector."

JMANTTP co-directors are Dan Baliao of SEAFDEC AQD and Nelson Lopez of BFAR.

The program started its operation on environment-friendly schemes in shrimp farming at the SEAFDEC AQD station in Dumangas.

The first test run in 2000 yielded 4,465 kilograms from an 8,000-square-meter pond and 5,370 kg from another pond with the same area.

The same protocol subsequently was demonstrated in BFAR’s demonstration and training center in Batangas, Bohol, and Lanao del Norte.

"The encouraging results of the test runs in its four sites in Year 2000 allowed the team to fine-tune the technology for its succeeding runs in Year 2001," SEAFDEC AQD and BFAR jointly reported.

Remarkable results were also realized in test runs done in 2001 at the SEAFDEC AQD Dumangas Brackishwater Station; at Botong, Taal, Batangas; Bentig, Calape, Bohol; and Lala, Lanao del Norte.