‘Foodfish of the 21st century’

A fish that we commonly know and consume as tilapia is considered the "foodfish of the 21st century" by Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons, president of the World Aquaculture Society.

The tilapia, a native of Africa, is produced as a foodfish in over 100 countries in culture systems that range from backyard ponds to super-intensive farms. Global production for the fish in 2002 was more than 1.5 million metric tons, making it one of the top 10 aquatic species farmed throughout the world.

Dubbed as the "aquatic chicken," the tilapia has good attributes that make it suitable for aquaculture. It matures early, breeds readily and is a hardy fish. It also has a growing international market demand as a foodfish.

Historically, the introduction of the first tilapia species, the Mozambique tilapia, in the Philippines in 1950 was initially not well-accepted by the industry because of the lack of appropriate culture techniques. Growth of the fish in ponds was stunted with too much breeding and overpopulation. The small size and dark color of the fish did not also appeal to local consumers.

The coming of the Nile tilapia in the 1970s improved the acceptance of tilapia in the country because of its lighter color and faster growth compared to the Mozambique tilapia. The tendency of the tilapia to overpopulate in ponds, however, still had to be solved. The problem not only limited commercial production of the fish in the Philippines, but in other countries as well. A practical solution was needed for the "family planning" of tilapia in order that large-sized fish could be produced commercially.

The technological breakthrough for the control of tilapia reproduction in ponds for grow-out of the fish to market size was achieved in the mid-70s with the development of the hormone-induced sex reversal (HSR) method. In applying the method, oral treatment of "sexless" fry is done with synthetic male hormone to convert would-be female fish into faster-growing and non-reproducing males. Compared to other methods of producing all-male tilapia, HSR is the most practical, cost-effective and efficient. Proper use of the HSR method has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States.

In 1986, the Philippines was the world leader in tilapia production from aquaculture with its commercial culture of the Nile tilapia in freshwater ponds and cages, and application of the HSR technology. Our country produced 135,996 metric tons of tilapia in 2003 and was second to China in world production.

With the declining supply and spiraling prices of marine fishes like the roundscad ("galunggong") caught from our seas, President Arroyo has declared the tilapia as the new "fish of the masses." A master plan for the country’s tilapia industry has been prepared by the Department of Agriculture and is now being implemented in coordination with the private sector.

In the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (2004-2010), tilapia will play an important part in ensuring the food security of the country in terms of foodfish. The government projects an annual increase in our tilapia production by 25 percent. Improved tilapia strains will be mass-produced throughout the country to increase food supply, income and livelihood opportunities. The major tilapia-producing areas are Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog.

Fifty percent of the tilapia production in the Philippines is from freshwater ponds, followed by 37 percent from cages in lakes and reservoirs and seven percent from brackishwater ponds. The species cultured are the Nile tilapia in freshwater ponds/cages, and the Mozambique tilapia and its hybrids with other species in brackishwater ponds.

The future prospects for tilapia farming are bright globally. With an annual growth rate of 12 percent, global tilapia production is expected to exceed that of carps within this century. There is a growing demand for frozen whole and filleted tilapia in the United States which is the world’s largest importer of the fish. Worldwide, the business of trading tilapia as a foodfish is already estimated to be more than $2 billion.

An interesting development in the industry is the utilization of the by-products of tilapia processing plants such as skin, scales and trimmings. Tilapia skin can now be made into leather goods, clothing and even snack foods. Scales, on the other hand, can be processed into gelatin for pharmaceuticals, and trimmings (including heads) can be prepared for soups. Even small-sized tilapia can now be transformed into what is called "tilanggit" similar to the much-in-demand boneless "danggit" of Cebu with simple and low-cost technology appropriate for rural families.

A project supported by the Netherlands known as "Fish for Every Family" is being implemented by Plan Philippines in partnership with the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development to help improve the nutritional status of families in the depressed areas of Isabela, Pangasinan, Occidental Mindoro, Southern Leyte and Western Samar. The project aims to develop backyard ponds for tilapia, each with an area of at least 50 square meters, for 400 family-cooperators.

As Israel Snir, an international tilapia integrator, put it: "Tilapia is a fish that can be produced for the people and by the people. It can be produced everywhere and consumed by everyone."

* * *

Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III is the executive director of the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (Department of Science and Technology). He is also an academician of the National Academy of Science and Technology and a member of the Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering. His e-mail address is [email protected].