Aquaculture in Asia-Pacific / December update

Disclaimer: This is not an extensive review of aquaculture in each country, this is a digest of the news about aquaculture in Asia released on Internet this month. The validity of any information or figures quoted is the responsibility of the individual newspapers and websites concerned. Also, please check previous updates: August 2009, September 2009, October 2009, November 2009.

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Bangladesh

• Fingerling tilapia production in paddy fields found profitable

Production of fingerling genetically improved farmed tilapia in paddy fields can be additional income generating activities in the country’s northern districts, according to research findings of the Rangpur-Dinajpur Rural Service, Bangladesh and the WorldFish Centre, who found fingerling GIFT production in the region highly profitable. The RDRS along with 10 other NGOs in cooperation with WorldFish Centre is implementing fingerling GIFT production programme in 22 upazilas of greater Rangpur and Dinajpur and eight upazilas in Barendra region of Rajshahi. More than 8,800 farmers of the region are now involved in production of fingerling tilapia and Karfu fish in ditches dug in the corner of paddy fields, RDRS sources said. About 344 tonnes of tilapia fry worth about Tk 1.5 core and 70 tonnes of Ruhi fry worth about Tk 70 lakh have been produced by farming in paddy fields in the region this year, the sources added [12].

Brunei

• Establishment of a halal fish-processing facility

Last month BioMarine Sdn Bhd, the joint venture between a Bruneian company and Raoping Jin Hang Deep Sea Cage Development Co Ltd of China, signed a contract to establish a halal fish-processing facility in the Sultanate once the newly-formed company has settled in. The Chinese investment is among a few foreign direct investment (FDI) in the fisheries sector. “The long-term plan for this joint venture (JV) is so that smaller local farmers will be able to learn more from the expertise that the Chinese company is bringing in and to be able to sell their harvest to the company to increase export capacity in the future,” said Hjh Hasnah Ibrahim, director of the fisheries department. The facility, along with other plans to introduce a fish hatchery and nursery, cold storage room and blast freezers, requires the joint venture to inject a further $6 million to its initial investment of $1.45 million into the “fish cage culture project” located near the Pelong Rocks offshore from Muara Town. “There’s no competition at all because the company is rearing the fish purely for export, and the local farmers don’t have the capacity to be able to export in tonnes,” said the department director [8].

China

• AgriMarine signs MoU with Siping City Government in China

AgriMarine Holdings Inc. announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the People’s Government of Siping City and Tiedong District, Jilin Province, China, for the development of salmon rearing operations and associated feed supply and processing industries utilizing AgriMarine’s solid wall closed containment technology and operations expertise. Pending favorable outcomes of the environmental and business studies, AgriMarine will design, build and install closed containment rearing facilities; creating a salmon aquaculture production presence in the region. AgriMarine’s solid-wall containment technology was developed to solve many issues faced by traditional net cage rearing practices that are used worldwide. The AgriMarine system reduces pollution of the receiving water systems through the capture of waste feed/feces and facilitates improved feed conversions; mitigates environmental effects on wild fish through the prevention of escapes and avoids proximal contaminations such as marine parasites [16].

• Skystar Acquires Aquaculture Vaccine Technology

Skystar Bio-Pharmaceutical Company, a China-based producer and distributor of veterinary medicines, vaccines, micro-organisms and feed additives, has bought an exclusive aquaculture vaccine technology from China's Fourth Military Medical University for RMB 8 million (approximately $1.2 million), granting Skystar exclusivity on the patent through 2012.Skystar has also signed a collaborative research and development agreement with the university. The vaccine has been shown to be effective in treating and preventing bacterial infections in marine life without harmful side effects. The patented technology is designed to address the Company-estimated $150 million underserved aquaculture market opportunity in China. Skystar believes that its 2010 total vaccine revenue will be approximately $6.0 million with gross margins of approximately 60-70 per cent. The Company had previously targeted $14.0 million in revenue contribution from the new vaccine facility in 2010 [20].

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)

• NMC aquatic lab spurs another tilapia project

Another local businessman has joined the CNMI’s aquatic farming landscape with the help of aquaculture officials at the Northern Marianas College. James Matsumoto, a resident of Capital Hill, recently released over 800 juvenile pearl white tilapia into two tanks set up at his residence. Matsumoto now joins the 14 other aquatic farmers in the CNMI. NMC's Aquaculture & Fisheries Department is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture's (NIFA) Smith-Lever Act and Hatch Act Formula Funds [3].

Fiji

• Seaweed potential for Chinese market

Fiji has huge potential for aquaculture and villages along the coastline can expect a windfall from the demand for seaweed from the Chinese market, according to Viliame Naupoto, chairman of the Fiji Trade and Investment Board chairman Viliame Naupoto who also revealed that China wanted 7000 tonnes of seaweed per month. "We are talking about a six-week crop that fetches $800 a tonne. This price is better than dalo, copra and sugar. All our people need is a little education on money handling," Mr Naupoto said [2].

French Polynesia (Tahiti)

• A new minister in charge of aquaculture

President Gaston Tong Sang (To Tatou Ai'a-TTA) unveiled the composition of his new government. The minister in charge of the marine resources and promotion of pearl farming, fisheries and aquaculture is M. Temauri FOSTER [4].

• Aquaculture of giant clam

Moana Zumbiehl presented his draft aquaculture of gianr clam project, with two goals, one to restock the Tubuai lagoon, and one to market the clam on the Tahiti market. Estimated at 70 tons per year, exports of giant clams on Tahiti, could well become the Southern black pearl. For this project, private initiative, Moana has already met with fishermen from the island that would be associated with the operation. The next step now is to get the support of local authorities to submit the draft to the government, so that orders are taken for attributions of maritime concessions. Thus, on Tubuai, six 400 m2 leases could be established. For each, the investment is about 3 to 5 million francs. Technically, each of the concessions would have a potential of 160 to 170 000 clams. Some of them must be relocated in the wild, the other would be marketed at different stages of development. One should know that two to three years are needed for the clam to reach 4 inches, five years for 12 cm, and seven years for 20 centimeters. After this meeting, the mayor of Tubuai and some elected officials did not hide their support for the project [9].

India

• Impacts and adaptation to climate change

NACA’s ‘Aquaclimate’ project is taking up the case of small-scale shrimp farming in Andhra Pradesh, India, to investigate the impacts and adaptation to climate change. Andhra Pradesh has had many weather related impacts in recent years such as the worst drought in half a century, which occurred in early to mid 2009, followed by a severe flood of once in 100 years in October 2009. These extreme climatic events have had severe consequences including heavy economic losses to shrimp farmers in the state. The case study aims to assess the degree of vulnerability of the small-scale shrimp farmers and to provide guidelines on suitable measures to assist them to adapt to climate change and sustain their livelihoods [18].

Maldives

• Government to open aquaculture fisheries in Maldives for investors according to President Nasheed

President Mohamed Nasheed has said that the government planned to open the fisheries sector, especially the aquaculture fisheries for investors. The government will hold an international seafood exhibition in the Maldives on next year’s Fishermen’s Day. The Maldivian fisheries sector and the economy as whole were badly affected during the past year [18].

Philippines

• Current status of Pangasius farming in the Philippines

Pangasius was introduced in the country by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources–National Inland Fisheries Technology Center (BFAR-NIFTC) as early as 1981. Palma, chief of Tanay, Rizal–based BFAR-NIFTC said that breeding trials were started in 1985 and protocol for breeding and grow-out had been developed in succeeding years. Apparently, market was not ready at that time hence, pangasius fingerlings that were produced were passed on to the aquarium fish trade as "freshwater hammerhead shark." Currently, pangasius fingerlings are both imported and produced locally by big-time companies such as the Blue Bay hatchery and Vitarich corporation. There are also private and government hatcheries in Regions 2, 3, 4, 11, 12 and the Cordillera Administrative Region. Fishery officials say that the country currently imports 40 20-footer container vans of pangasius flesh monthly. This amounts to an outstanding 400 MT mainly for fast food outlets and for the fish fillet market. The national fisheries center estimates current demand at 15,000 MT. The BFAR NIFTC, which is the central pangasius hatchery in the country, has formulated a roadmap outlining establishment of regional satellite hatcheries and demo sites, development of pangasius processing plant and promotion of value-added products, genetic improvement of pangasius and the conduct of training courses, to complement current interventions. Likewise, Vitarich corporation is offering contract growing schemes mainly in Bulacan and Pampanga area in order to increase local production. Imee Chun, an official of the corporation, said that they plan to later on tap into the export market. Aside from its fish fillet business, Vitarich has come up with processed pangasius products like longganisa, Hungarian sausage, shanghai, franks and nuggets. Chun said that their company is also pushing for skin-on fillet, which is good for ihaw-ihaw and grilled, frozen gutted and steak cuts [5].

• Aquaculture registers 5% growth

Aquaculture registered a 4.95 percent expansion in the third quarter in contrast to the contraction of the total fisheries production for the same period. Department of Agriculture (DA) reported Sunday that modest growth was recorded for bangus, tilapia, mudcrab, catfish, seaweeds, oysters and mussels from July to September. Aquaculture production was estimated at 496,701.32 metric tons (MT) during the third quarter of 2009, up by 23,427.11 MT from the output during the same quarter last year. It accounted for about 46.11 percent of total fisheries production for the third quarter. Bulk of the yield of 128,689.16 MT was traced to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Seaweeds topped the gainers, with harvests accounting for 65.03 percent of total aquaculture production, while fins and shellfishes accounted for 34.97 percent [10].

• Aquaculture training starts in 3 Leyte public schools

High school students in the province of Leyte now have a choice to train on aquaculture farming with the newly launched Aquaculture Training and Production Center that was recently started in three public secondary schools in the town of Leyte. The new skills Aquaculture Technology Course is initiated under the Leyte province’s expanding ICOT-P training courses, or Income Creating Opportunities Technology-Project, which is funded by the provincial government. Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho L. Petilla led the opening of the ICOT Aquaculture Training and Production Center that is located around 10,000 square meters of fish pond apportioned for the aquaculture students in Leyte town [6].

• BFAR Region 2 typhoon rehab allocates 5.8 million fingerlings

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Regional Office No. 2 has started the provision of rehabilitation assistance for fisherfolk in Cagayan Valley affected by the recent super typhoon ‘Pepeng.’ As outlined in its rehab plan, the bureau will provide a total of 5.8 million fingerlings for some 2,787 fish farmers affected by the calamity. The super typhoon Pepeng which slammed into central and northern Luzon last October has damaged a total of 1,079.95 hectares of fishponds and communal production areas, 37 fish cages, 26 fishing boats and assorted fishing gears, mainly in the province of Cagayan. The typhoon has devastated harvestable fish stocks estimated at 236.73 metric tons worth P15.39 million. A total of 7.91 fingerlings and juvenile stocks were also lost during the typhoon. The marketable stock represents 5.78 percent of Region 2’s aquaculture production target for the third quarter of the year while the non-marketable stocks represent 1,111.4 metric tons of potential production within the next two to four months [11].

• Bahrain companies to visit RP, eye investments in fish production

Several Bahrain companies have been visiting the Philippines, seeking business ventures in local mariculture parks, which are self-contained fishery production zones. These companies, which belong to the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce, will hold meetings with the Philippines’ Department of Agriculture (DA) officials, said Marriz Agbon, president of the Philippine Agricultural Development and Commercial Corp. (PADCC). The Philippines has completed a $300 million investment package with the Bahraini government to put up agro-fishery businesses in the country. Under the agreement, a joint committee will meet twice a year to monitor the development of specific projects in the investment package [7].

• Philippine seaweed processors scramble for supplies

Philippine seaweed processors will push for measures to boost local seaweed production and tap other countries as potential suppliers, following Indonesia’s decision to restrict its raw seaweed exports. Indonesia, which supplies about a third of the raw seaweed requirements of Philippine manufacturers of the gelatinous extract, is following the path chosen by the Philippines, which was transformed in the last decade from a major seaweed exporter into a net seaweed importer and major carrageenan supplier. Benson U. Dakay, president of the Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines (SIAP), told reporters other countries that have the potential to supply raw seaweeds for the manufacture of carrageenan are Madagascar, Vietnam and Cambodia. Raw seaweeds from these three countries are also priced lower because they are just starting to develop the industry, he added. Another potential supplier is India. Philippine raw dried seaweed exports declined to about 80,000 MT in 2008 from almost 100,000 MT in 2000 as processing capacity grew. The Philippines became a net seaweed importer in 2007. Seaweed imports reached over 15,000 MT in 2008, a study by Seaplant.net Foundation in Indonesia showed. The Philippine seaweed industry now exports mostly value-added carrageenan or blended ingredient solutions rather than raw seaweeds. As of last May, over 140,000 MT of carrageenan dave been exported to 78 countries, the study added. More than half, or 55%, went to France and China [17].

South Korea

• Tuna plan foments aquaculture

The Korean government will introduce a plan to both promote the farming of tuna, the country's main seafood export item, and combat increasing international restrictions on tuna fishing. Korea currently fishes 95 per cent of its tuna supply; it has since been advancing its aquaculture efforts. The tuna farming project located off Jeju Island is proving successful. The farm’s three net cages host a total of 400 juvenile bluefin tunas. Back in September, scientists at the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) said that commercial tuna sales would begin around 2015. Korea hopes to export the fish to Japan, China and other Asian nations [15].

Vietnam

• Pangasius exports climb

Pangasius export volumes to most export markets have shown a striking recovery between January-October, announced the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exports and Processors (VASEP). Vietnam’s major importer of tra fish is still the US, with exports worth USD 15.5 million just in October – a jump of 2.5 times compared to October last year. Export values to this country for the first 10 months of the year came to USD 111 million, 71 per cent higher than during the same period in 2008. Although Spain is Vietnam’s second largest tra importer, with a 31.7 per cent year-on-year volume jump in October, exports barely yielded USD 104 million in the January-October period, a drop of 0.8 per cent from a year ago. Tra fish exports to the European Union (EU) took a nosedive of almost 7 per cent to USD 454 million. Earnings from Vietnam’s two main markets last year, Russia and the Ukraine, sunk 95 per cent and more than 82 per cent, respectively. Vietnam exported 500,000 tonnes of pangasius in the first 10 months of 2009 for USD 1.12 billion, a 10.3 per cent-lower value than during the same period last year [14].

• Tra Fish Association to be established

The Vietnam Tra fish Association will make its debut at a congress scheduled for late December 2009 or early January 2010. The association, which will involve of administrators, scientists, export businesses, animal food manufacturers, fish farmers and local associations, is expected to come up with solutions for fish farming-related problems [13].

• Commodity production-oriented aquaculture in Hanoi

The Programme on Aquaculture Development in Hanoi in 2009 – 2015 period with an orientation to 2020 has been approved by the municipal People’s Committee for a total cost of over VND 1.9 trillion, creating a favorable condition for aquaculturists to be able to get rich. According to the municipal Aquatic Products Subdepartment, after expansion of Hanoi’s administrative borders, the city has over 30,000 hectares of water surface which is capable of developing aquaculture including 6,700 hectares of ponds and small lakes and 19,800 hectares of low-lying fields. Caged fish breeding can be developed in the Da, Hong, Tich, Bui and Day rivers. However, the current area of aquaculture is only 17,800 hectares with the low average productivity of 3 – 5 tonnes a year for each hectare. Small ponds and lakes all are near the residential areas and polluted, and at the same time, the area with ponds and lakes is limited, so the breeding method based mainly on extensive aquaculture and as a result, the large-scale concentrated aquaculture areas are yet to be formed. On average, each hectare of aquaculture in the commune brings about VND 102 million of revenue (with the average productivity of 7 tonnes a year for every hectare) whereas revenue from rice-growing in the pre-change period only reached VND 15 – 25 milllion. The objective of the programme is that the total area of aquaculture in the whole city will have reached 23,000 hectares by 2015 and 24,000 hectares by 2020, with a total output of aquatic products being around 115,000 tonnes in 2015 and 132,000 tonnes in 2020. The average productivity of aquaculture will be raised to over 5 tonnes a hectare and the area of intensive aquaculture will increase to 10.4% while the area of extensive aquaculture will reduce to 18% [1].

• ILDEX Vietnam Aquaculture Conference 2010

ILDEX Vietnam Aquaculture Conference 2010 to discuss a new dimension for aquaculture in Vietnam as Vietnam needs to move quickly toward sustainable aquaculture before it is too late. The aquaculture industry forum will take place on March 25, 2010, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.ILDEX Vietnam Aquaculture Conference 2010 is a forum where leading aquaculture experts from around the region share views and visions on global aquaculture practices and trends. Pearls of wisdom from the experts should form the basis of a plan to enable the Vietnamese aquaculture industry to continue to thrive. Indeed, the ILDEX conference will prove a superb way for the Indochina’s aquaculture industry to discover slightly new goals and practices. ILDEX Vietnam Aquaculture Conference 2010 will focus on three major issues: sustainability and certification; innovations in culture technology; and feed management & development [19].

• Former Bush official promotes US supply chain in Vietnam

Vietnamese exporters can boost their business in the US market by linking with US traders and suppliers established in Vietnam, said Susan Schwab, a former US Trade Representative under President George W. Bush. More and more US producers, traders and suppliers are setting up shop in Vietnam as US subsidiaries around the globe are now supplying half the country’s imports. Local businesses in Vietnam should work with these direct supply chains to boost sales in the US [21].

REFERENCES
[1] http://www.nhandan.com.vn/english/business/011209/business_v.htm (consulted on December 1, 2009)
[2] http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=134722 (consulted on December 2, 2009)
[3] http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=95458 (consulted on December 2, 2009)
[4] http://www.ladepeche.pf/fenua/politique/7431-la-composition-du-gouvernement-de-gaston-tong-sang.html (consulted on December 2, 2009)
[5] http://balita.ph/2009/12/02/here-comes-pangasius-the-new-darling-of-the-aquaculture-industry/ (consulted on December 2, 2009)
[6] http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/231469/aquaculture-training-starts-3-leyte-public-schools (consulted on December 2, 2009)
[7] http://www.gmanews.tv/story/177729/bahrain-companies-to-visit-rp-eye-investments-in-fish-production (consulted on December 2, 2009)
[8] http://news.brunei.fm/2009/12/02/china-fdi-in-fisheries-a-boon-for-sector/ (consulted on December 2, 2009)
[9] http://www.ladepeche.pf/iles/societe/7493-le-benitier-tresor-du-lagon.html (consulted on December 2, 2009)
[10] http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/232763/aquaculture-registers-5-growth (consulted on December 7, 2009)
[11] http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/232428/bfar-region-2-typhoon-rehab-allocates-58-million-fingerlings (consulted on December 7, 2009)
[12] http://bangladesheconomy.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/fingerling-tilapia-production-in-paddy-fields-found-profitable/ (consulted on December 7, 2009)
[13] http://www.vnbusinessnews.com/2009/12/tra-fish-association-to-be-established.html (consulted on December 7, 2009)
[14] http://www.fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?l=e&country=0&special=&monthyear=&day=&id=34799&ndb=1&df=0 (consulted on December 7, 2009)
[15] http://www.fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?l=e&country=0&special=&monthyear=&day=&id=34535&ndb=1&df=0 (consulted on December 8, 2009)
[16] http://aquacomgroup.com/wordpress/2009/12/07/agrimarine-signs-mou-with-siping-city-government-in-china/ (consulted on December 8, 2009)
[17] http://www.gmanews.tv/story/178878/local-seaweed-processors-scramble-for-supplies (consulted on December 9, 2009)
[18] http://www.miadhu.com.mv/2009/12/local-news/government-to-open-aquaculture-fisheries-in-maldives-for-investors-%E2%80%93-president-nasheed/ (consulted on December 12, 2009)
[19] http://www.pressabout.com/dimension-aquaculture-vietnam-31888/ (consulted on December 12, 2009)
[20] http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/11378/skystar-acquires-aquaculture-vaccine-technology (consulted on December 12, 2009)
[21] http://www.thanhniennews.com/business/?catid=2&newsid=54171 (consulted on December 13, 2009)