RP takes centerstage in advancement of tilapia tech

Some 50 renowned scientists from all over the world are here in the country to share information and exchange views with local experts about the trade in tilapia products and the role of Asia, especially the Philippines, as a center of advancement of tilapia technology.

The 6th International Symposium on Tilapia in Aquaculture or ISTA 6 will be held Sept. 13-16 at the Philippine International Convention Center.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap will welcome the participants and deliver the keynote address. The new agriculture secretary defined his vision for the agriculture sector as "prosperous rural communities built on profitable farms that provide surplus for agro-industry and food security," which could also be the ultimate goal of this international event.

ISTA 6 is sponsored by the US-based American Tilapia Association and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). It is supported by the World Aquaculture Society, The WorldFish Center, Asian Institute of Technology, Tilapia International Foundation, CIRAD and the Global Aquaculture Alliance. It is co-sponsored by the Schering Plough-Aquaculture and FYD, International.

This will be the sixth in a highly successful series of symposia that has brought together tilapia biologists and technologists to review the latest discoveries in tilapia, improvements in production systems and other fields related to tilapia and their use in aquaculture.

BFAR Director Malcolm I. Sarmiento Jr. said this is the first time the symposium is being held in the country. Earlier meetings were held in Israel, Thailand, Cote D’ Ivoire, USA and Brazil.

Business sessions

Agriculture Undersecretary for Fisheries and Livestocks Cesar M. Drilon Jr. said the symposium will have special emphasis on the advances in genetic development of tilapia breeds, reproduction and sex control, nutrition, health management and diseases, brackishwater culture systems, pond management, and production systems, economics, marketing and processing and regional reviews, the BFAR director revealed.

The ISTA 6 national steering committee is chaired and co-chaired by Drilon, Sarmiento and Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons of the American Tilapia Association.

ISTA 6 highlights

Participants will receive a two-volume record of the proceedings edited by Dr. Remedios Bolivar of the Central Luzon State University, Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons of the University of Arizona and Dr. Graham Mair of Flinders University. The proceedings will include a total of 88 scientific papers and posters. These papers include "Delivering better quality tilapia seed to farmers" by Dr. David Little; "Mapping genes and QTL in tilapias" by Gideon Hulata, et al; and "Brackishwater culture of tilapias in the Philippines: An assessment" by Rafael Guerrero III, et al.

The symposium will also include a trade show. Fieldtrips are being organized to nearby aquaculture sites in the Science City of Muñoz to include the world’s only Tilapia Germplasm Bank, BFAR’s National Freshwater Fisheries Training Center, the GIFT Foundation, the Freshwater Aquaculture Center, the Central Luzon State University and the Philippine Rice Institute (PhilRice); hatcheries and grow-outs in Bulacan, Pampanga and Batangas.

Various social and gastronomic events are also being arranged to enable the participants to experience the renowned Filipino culture, warmth and hospitality through the "Fiesta Tilapia" festivities, cultural show and gastronomic circuits in the "Walled City of Intramuros."

One of the events is a nationwide search for the largest locally-bred tilapia. To be staged Sept. 15 during the culmination of Fiesta Tilapia, the contest is an attempt to break the world record on the biggest tilapia. The current record holder as listed by the World Freshwater Records is Marvin C. Smith of Costa Rica. The fish weighs 2.7 kgs. (6lbs) and was caught in Lake Arsenal.

Registration fee for local participants is P3,000 and $400 for foreign delegates. For more information, contact Dr. Melchor Tayamen (044) 456-0241/ (044)456-0670 or at "mailto:nffftc@mozcom.com" nffftc@-mozcom.com or Melannie Guerra (02)372-6714 or at HYPERLINK "mailto:-mguerra@bfar.da.gov.ph" mguerra@bfar.da.-gov.ph. — FRMP