Aquaculture in Asia-Pacific / May update

Disclaimer: This is not an extensive review of aquaculture in each country, this is a digest of the news about aquaculture in Asia-Pacific 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, December 2009, January 2010, February 2010, March 2010, April 2010.

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Brunei

• MIPR Minister Visits Offshore Cages

The Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar made a working visit to an offshore aquaculture near the Pulau Pilongan-Pilongan in Muara yesterday, to look closely at its development. The aquaculture is the product of a joint venture between a local and Chinese company to form Biomarine Sdn Bhd. There are currently 12 units of square cages and 20 units of round cages, measuring 43-metres in circumference and six metres in depth, at the 40.5 hectare site. It has also bought an additional 28 units of the cages. A press release from the Department of Fisheries said that Biomarine is expected to produce about 400 tonnes of fish annually for the export market. Fish such as Humpback Sea Bass (Kerapu Sumboi-Sumboi), Malabar Rock Cod (Kerapu Laki or Kerapu Mau), Tiger Grouper (Kerapu Harimau), Snubnose pompano (Pahatpahat Duai or Pompano) and Black Kingfish (Banglus or Gabus Lout) are cultured at the sight. During the working visit yesterday, Pehin Dato Hj Yahya released fish fingerlings into the offshore cages [18].

• Brunei Shrimp To Europe?

The Department of Fisheries is looking to add Europe as a destination for Brunei's shrimp exports, as the continent boasts a better market for the product, said the Director of Fisheries during an interview with The Brunei Times. "The European market is good because shrimp fetches a high price," said Hjh Hasnah Ibrahim. Hjh Hasnah said that the European Commission's Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) had come to Brunei last year to make inspections. "After their visit, they gave us a number of recommendations and we are now working hard to rectify the gaps," she said, adding that the FVO were expected to make another inspection next year. The FVO is a service of the European Commission (EC) tasked with ensuring that Community legislation on food safety, animal and plant health, and animal welfare is properly implemented and enforced. According to the final report of the inspection, the CA has developed a quality system based on several documented procedures for the EU fishery product export industry. However, at the time of inspection, implementation of this system had only just begun and did not completely cover all the requirements of the fishery production chain. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) systems in establishments were not yet evaluated by the CA. It also stated that the CA could not ensure that raw materials to be used in establishments approved to participate in the EU FP export chain fully met Community requirements. The Department of Fisheries responded to recommendations given by the FVO; one such proposal was to train those involved by an international expert experienced in fish inspection, on hygiene in processing plants according to EU legislation, auditing and inspection of aquaculture farms, vessels and other establishments, quality control, HACCP systems, traceability and product recall and, in food safety on raw materials and handling to finished products. Also from February, selected inspectors of the CA for establishments, farms and vessels involved in the production of fishery products intended for EU export, are to be trained in food safety and hygiene in order to be competent [19].

China

• NZ seafood industry push for China

Prime Minister John Key is urging the seafood industry to "storm through" the door into China, claiming the potential to sell products there is "almost limitless". Mr Key was speaking at the opening of the Seafood Industry Council's annual conference at Te Papa yesterday, highlighting the opportunity for "exponential" growth in exports to China. New Zealand has already signed a free trade agreement with China and is working on others, but Mr Key said this would not in itself guarantee business, urging the seafood industry to spot the potential. "We can open the door, but we can't force you to storm through it; the only way we can do it is if industry and individual companies have a sense of opportunity there – and the opportunities are absolutely huge," Mr Key said [24].

Fiji

• Researchers offer first proof that chemicals from seaweeds damage coral on contact

Field studies have shown for the first time that several common species of seaweeds in both the Pacific and Caribbean Oceans can kill corals upon contact using chemical means. While competition between seaweed and coral is just one of many factors affecting the decline of coral reefs worldwide, this chemical threat may provide a serious setback to efforts aimed at repopulating damaged reefs. Seaweeds are normally kept in check by herbivorous fish, but in many areas overfishing has reduced the populations of these plant-consumers, allowing seaweeds to overpopulate coral reefs. A study documenting the chemical effects of seaweeds on corals was scheduled to be published May 10, 2010 in the early edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the Teasely Endowments at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Using racks of coral being transplanted as part of repopulation efforts, Hay and graduate student Douglas Rasher compared the fate of corals from two different species when they were placed next to different types of seaweed common around Fijian reefs in the Pacific – and Panamanian reefs in Caribbean. They planted the seaweeds next to coral being transplanted – and also placed plastic plants next to some of the coral to simulate the effects of shading and mechanical damage. Other coral in the racks had neither seaweeds nor plastic plants near them. The researchers revisited the coral two days, 10 days and 20 days later. In as little as two days, corals in contact with some seaweed species bleached and died in areas of direct contact. In other cases, the effects took a full 20 days to appear – or for some seaweed species, no damaging effects were noted during the 20-day period. Ultimately, as much as 70 percent of the seaweed species studied turned out to have harmful effects – but only when they were in direct contact with the coral [6].

Hawai'i

• Gov't funds research on alternative aquaculture feeds

Hawaiian fish farm company Kona Blue Water Farms Inc is being awarded a USD 242,889 Saltonstall-Kennedy grant from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to conduct research on alternative protein sources for aquaculture feeds. The project will study three novel and sustainable protein sources as a substitute for fishmeal in the diets of the company’s brand of farmed Hawaiian yellowtail, Kona Kampachi, on the Big Island. This fish is a sashimi-grade, marine finfish raised in the waters off Hawaii. Kona Blue’s three protein sources include microalgal by-products from biofuels production, a single-cell protein produced from food processing water and a fish protein filtered from the wastewater of fish processing facilities. The research should begin in July. Its results will be shared with academics, the industry and the environmental and conservation groups via conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications. Founded in 2001 in Kailua-Kona, Kona Blue is the first integrated marine fish hatchery and open ocean mariculture operation in the US [9].

• Kona Blue's Kona Kampachi "Back in the Market" July 18th

Kona Blue Water Farms, Inc., the first integrated marine fish hatchery and open ocean mariculture operation in the US, today announced that its sashimi-grade fish will again be on the market as of July 18th. By then, the open ocean-grown Hawaiian yellowtail will have reached the minimum four-pound weight, and regular harvesting will resume. Kona Kampachi from the new cohort will be available for sampling at the National Restaurant Association show in Chicago. The fish were off market since November 2009 so that the offshore pens could be reconfigured. An additional quarter of a million Kona Kampachi have been stocked to the offshore pens, and are now almost grown to harvest size. These fish will be available for ordering by the trade from July 18. As the fish grow, it is expected that Kona Blue Water Farms will be able to increase harvests to a target of 25,000 pounds of fish per week by the end of the year [25].

India

• Aquaculture production up 30% last fiscal

Aquaculture production increased by more than 30% during the last financial year largely because of increased output in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, officials at the Marine Exports Product Development Authority (MPEDA) said. During 2009-10, total production touched 1,06,000 tonne and exports were also on the higher side, MPEDA officials said. Production and exports of aquaculture products are likely to get a boost in the current fiscal with coastal farms are starting vanammei or white shrimps production in 1,170 ha, Anwar Hashim, national president of the Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI) said. Production of coastal aquaculture came down during 2008-09 at 88,803 tonne with an estimated value of Rs 1,915 crore, MPEDA said. Shrimp production from coastal aquaculture was 75,997 tonne from the culture area of 108,000 hectares. Compared to the previous year, the decrease was about 28.4 % in production and 10.9 % in area. Production of fresh-water prawn (scampi) during the year was 12,806 tonne from an area of 1,644 ha, showing a reduction of 53% in production and 63% in area utilisation. The decline in production from aquaculture was attributed to the global economic crisis, which resulted in reduction of international price for seafood products in general and shrimp in particular [26].

Indonesia

• Indonesian pearl grip 26 Percent of World Market

Indonesian pearl grip 26 Percent of World Market ; south sea pearl type (south sea pearl) from Indonesia who is known by the nickname "The Queen of Pearls", is now controlled 26 percent of the world market. Jewelry from pearl oyster species Pinctada maxima is the best quality in the world, said Head of Data Center for Statistics and Information (Pusdatin) Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (NOA), an H. Soen Poernomo, in a press release. "Underneath is black pearls from Tahiti and the type akayo from Japan," he said. Citing Minister NOA Fadel Muhammad, he said, "Viewed from the area of cultivation, manpower, support equipment, and technology that has been mastered, should Indonesia has an opportunity to enhance its role in the international market to 50 per cent." Therefore, said Fadel Muhammad, Lombok, Sumbawa Pearl Festival which took place this May 6-8 can be lifted back to the image of Indonesian pearls with pearl sells only high quality and good price for the export market. About 90 percent of pearl cultivation is still dominated by foreign investors, namely from Australia and Japan. Lack of investors in the country is more due to the problem of capital because the banks are still reluctant to provide credit assistance to local farmers, although cultivation is very profitable [8].

Malaysia

• Major aquaculture joint venture off Sabah proposed

Sabah could be at the forefront in supplying deep sea fish to the world because of its promising weather and warm waters. David Lyttle, the General Manager of Aquaculture from the Sealord Group Ltd of New Zealand, a deep sea fishing company, told Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman there is an increasing demand worldwide for such fish. He said Sabah was ideal as cyclones and typhoons were absent in its waters, which is between 27 and 32 degrees Celcius - ideal for fast growing fish. Lyttle also briefed the Chief Minister on the possibilities of starting up a fully integrated marine finfish aquaculture project in Sabah, pointing out that half the fish the world consumed today were from aquaculture. He said the proposed project would include hatcheries, nurseries, ponds, sheltered sea cages, open ocean sea cages, fish feed mills and other related service and support of the industry. Sealord Group Ltd started in Australia and has been in operation for the past 20 years having established a marketing distribution system around the world for deep sea fish [22].

• Bakun Lake holds vast potential for fish culture

Viable market, social equity and environmental awareness are among the key factors to consider before fish culture in the 70,000 sq km Bakun Lake - about the size of Singapore - can be successfully implemented. Cirad (French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development) scientist Dr Jerome Lazard made this observation in an interview with thesundaypost, Utusan Borneo and See Hua Daily News after his recent trip to the lake site, some 60km west of Belaga in the central region. Accompanying him were Lirong Yu Abit, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) assistant technical researcher, and Stephen Sia, general manager of Wargana Consortium Sdn Bhd, contractor of the fish farming project at Bakun. Dr Lazard, who is adviser to Wargana, had led a team of UPM researchers on an initial study of the lake, and they found the environment and the water temperature suitable for tilapia farming. He said from their data on water quality and fish species, it is feasible to carry out fish culture there. “Many people would be asking why we have opted for tilapia and not other indigenous fish in the area. This is because tilapia is among the easiest and most profitable fish to farm. It’s quite popular and, most importantly, has a huge international market” [23].

Philippines

• SEAFDEC cites milestones with chief’s reappointment

The Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) cited its contributions to sustainable aquaculture in view of environment issues and climate change, with the reappointment of its chief, for the third consecutive term, Dr. Joebert D. Toledo. A SEAFDEC press release said that this reappointment showed the Philippine government’s trust and recognition of the institution’s progress in aquaculture research and development under Toledo’s leadership. With Toledo at the helm, there has been a significant increase in the number of SEAFDEC’s foreign and local partners, and in the number of researchers and scientists who joined the institution. Further, SEAFDEC has played a significant role in supporting the government’s aquaculture strategy for food security and poverty alleviation in rural areas, by refining science-based aquaculture technologies through increased budget allocations. From his consultations with technical experts in Southeast Asia, Dr. Toledo initiated a strategy that prioritized small-scale, integrated farm for aquaculture research and development, recognizing the fact that farmers play a pivotal role in the food supply chain. Moreover, these farmers have better control over the sustainable use of farm resources. Along with this and through his third term, SEAFDEC will go into “multi-trophic” aquaculture where fish, abalone, sea cucumber and seaweeds, can be grown simultaneously in a culture system to maximize use of resources and minimize pollution in aquatic environments to deal with climate change [3].

• Breeding Pompano Commercially With Low Environmental Impact

One fish that is gaining popularity among Filipino consumers these days is pompano. Pompanos are marine fishes in the Trachinotus genus of the Carangidae family (better known as “jacks”). In the Philippines, the pompano species raised is Trachinotus blochii (locally called pompano). It eats small fish, schools, and moves a lot. You can buy it live, chilled, or frozen. Like the very popular bangus, pompano can be cultured in marine cages. Although it is less expensive to raise bangus, there is less competition in pompano as only fish growers raise them. In addition, the price of pompano is usually more than double than that of the bangus. However, pompano growers are facing one problem: fingerlings are not readily available at all times. Partly, that dilemma is now solved with the establishment of Finfish Hatcheries, Inc. (FHI), touted to be the “technical experts in aquaculture.” Based in Sarangani province in Southern Mindanao, FHI does not only supply more than 50 percent of the country’s national requirement of bangus fry but also pompano, lapu-lapu, seabass, and mangrove snapper. The first and largest commercial fry hatchery in the Philippines, it partners with the Bureau of Fishery and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in developing the country’s aquaculture industry [12].

• Food trip in Guam

On the invitation of the Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) in partnership with Continental Airlines, Isabel Canlas de Leon from Manila Bulletin embarked on a four-day journey to the Marianas Islands to sample Chamorro cuisine and to visit the farms where the ingredients come from. All in all, we went to five farms – thus, the FarmVille saga in Guam begins… Ching Hua Wang’s aquaculture farm in Talafofo is one of them, which has ponds of tilapia and bangus ready for harvest. Yes, Guam imports most of its seafood except for the ones that are found in this farm [16].

• New hatchery for sea cucumber at SEAFDEC

At the price of US$180 to 250 per kilogram (Php 12,000 per kg) of dried sea cucumber in the United States, sea cucumber are good bets for fish farmers wanting to find the new “gold” in aquaculture. This has driven SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department, the research center based in Iloilo, to develop the hatchery, nursery and grow-out technologies of the sea cucumber Holothuria scabra so that overexploitation of the wild fisheries on which the sea cucumber trade depends will cease or be minimized. Aquaculture can take the pressure off wild stock, enabling it to recover and allowing sustainable management plans to be put in place by local government units and people’s organizations in sea cucumber-rich areas. Just recently, SEAFDEC built and inaugurated on April 28, 2010 a new sea cucumber hatchery in its main station in Tigbauan, Iloilo. The hatchery can produce as many as 0.2 to 0.5 million sea cucumber juveniles in a 45-day cycle from its ten 3-ton larval rearing tanks and four 8-ton nursery tanks. SEAFDEC has about 100 sea cucumber broodstock at present. Next to Indonesia, the Philippines is the second largest exporter of dried sea cucumber in the world. In year 2006, the country’s export of sea cucumber totaled 3,532 metric tons valued at US$4.6 million. Sea cucumber, also known as sandfish or beche-de-mer, live on the seabed, look like slugs, are considered delicacies (i.e., aphrodisiacs), and are common ingredients in Chinese medicine. Profit-making for fisherfolk and aquaculturists is not the sole motivation in putting up the hatchery. Sea cucumber are also potential bioremediators in multi-trophic or polyculture systems as they apparently can subsist on or take in uneaten feeds and feces coming from cultured fish. At SEAFDEC, this concept is being tested in black tiger shrimp ponds, and in milkfish and abalone culture. In the latter, sea cucumber are placed under the sea cages to deal with the waste [19].

• Value-Added Tilapia Products Showcased

The Bureau of Fisheries any Aquatic Resources in Region 2 (BEAR R02) in Tuguegarao City Cagayan has something new to offer to those who love to eat tilapia. These are the tilapia longanisa and tilapia tocino which are now increasingly gaining favorable response from tilapia Pod lovers in Cagayan. In fact, tilapia longanisa and tocino were among the promising finds at the Agrilink, Foodlink and Aqualink held last October 8-10 at World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City. The idea of making longanisa and tocino out of tilapia spawned from the research of Dr. Esterlita Calanoga and Angel Encarnacion of Cagayan State University and BFAR R02, respectively. Their study titled “Value-added products from Tilapia” aimed on finding other uses of this high-value fish and minimize losses as well as standardize the processing method. The good thing about the tilapia longanisa and tocino is that, these are low in cholesterol and free from preservatives, making it a good choice for health conscious people, BFAR RO2 said. The Integrated Fish Processing Laboratory under the research division of BFAR RO2 has been producing the two products on a small-scale basis, mostly based on orders. They also produce breaded tilapia and tilapia rolls which are equally acceptable with longanisa and tocino. According to Lielani Tabangay, the BFAR RO2 staff who manned the region’s booth at Agrilink, 50 kilograms of tilapia could yield 50 to 60 packs of 500-gram pack tilapia longanisa or 70 to 80 packs of 250-gram pack tocino. Tilapia longanisa retails at P135 per pack while tocino sells at P90 per pack. It can be stored for 3-4 months when frozen [21].

Singapore

• Ornamental fish farms in Singapore may get tenancy reprieve

Fish exporters in Jalan Kayu worried about their leases expiring at the year end may well get a reprieve. The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) told The Straits Times that it is working closely with relevant agencies to extend the tenancies. The 17 affected exporters account for about 80 per cent of Singapore's ornamental fish export industry, which, as a world leader, is worth around $100 million a year. The land these exporters now occupy is being taken back by the Government for redevelopment. The exporters are worried they may have to wind up their businesses if they cannot be relocated elsewhere by Dec 31, when their leases expire. The SLA has released four plots of land for tender as alternative sites for the fish farms, but the land area is not enough to take in all the affected farms. Already, 14 of the 17 Jalan Kayu farms have submitted 19 bids for these four plots, with some farms submitting more than one bid; the remaining three affected farms are thinking of shutting down. The SLA has designated another 10 sites in Yishun for the fish exporters, but these will go up for tender only at the end of the month. Those in the business are worried on two counts: One is that the entry of new bidders will narrow their chances of securing a site. The other worry - a bigger one - is the lack of time in which to get their new farms up and running by the year end [7].

• Multimillion-dollar industry faces stiff competition today

For Mr Teo Way Yong, catching longkang fish grew from a childhood hobby into a multimillion-dollar business. Back in the 1920s, armed with a crude net made out of an old T-shirt and wire, he tried his luck in the longkang, or drain, in his kampung, which used to be where today's Central Business District sits. When he was in his 20s, he had a stint selling fighting cocks, after which he opened a shop to sell 'drain fish' in Lau Pa Sat, the first wet market here. His customers were mostly British expatriates. His granddaughter Pauline Teo, who today runs ornamental fish exporter Teo Way Yong & Sons, said: 'Everyone else was selling live chickens and meat, but he sold ornamental fish. He was definitely a pioneer in his trade.' His big break came in the 1960s, when a client in Hamburg, Germany, heard of his shop and placed an order for these tropical fishes. With his son's help, Mr Teo packed scores of them into biscuit tins and put them on a ship docked at Clifford Pier. The journey took six months, during which the fish were fed and had the water in their tins changed daily - all by hand. Oxygen pumps were unheard of then, as was shipping fish by airplane, said Ms Teo. Her grandfather's company went from strength to strength from then, peaking in performance between 1975 and 1990, when its turnover hit $4.5 million a year. It was on the patriarch's watch over 30 years ago that Singapore became known as the ornamental fish capital of the world. Today, Teo Way Yong & Sons is one of more than 100 fish exporters here in a market mostly made up of smaller players. But the industry is not faring as well nowadays. Economic downturn aside, profit margins have been narrowed with competition coming from countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, where land is cheaper and the cost of fish farming, lower. Even Poland and the Czech Republic are catching on to the game. The companies there rear their own fry and truck them all over Europe. Ms Teo said the 100 per cent profit which Teo Way Yong & Sons used to make in the 1980s has been whittled down to about 10 per cent [7].

Thailand

• Thai princess tours Canadian BC Island aquaculture facility

Her Royal Highness, Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol made her third visit to Qualicum Bay's Island Scallops Tuesday, part of a fact-finding mission to contribute to Thailand's aquaculture industry. With a background as a bio-chemist, the princess led an entourage of Thai scientists interesting in learning about Island Scallops' breeding techniques. The goal, said Island Scallops' owner Rob Saunders, is to increase the survival rates of farmed shellfish in the Thai industry. Island Scallops has an international reputation in the industry — one that has led to a visit from Chinese aquaculture representatives, and an upcoming trip by Saunders to Europe to lend his expertise to farms there [14].

Vietnam

• Agifish awarded Friend of the Sea pangasius certification

Following over 6 months independent audit on site and based on laboratory water parameters analysis, the first farm among managed by the Vietnamese company Agifish has obtained Friend of the Sea certification. Friend of the Sea’s aquaculture sustainability criteria are deemed among the strictest in the field and can be considered equivalent or even tighter than the current EU bio requirements. It was no surprise that DKSH and Agifish had to select the most advanced farm. A number of initial non conformities made it necessary to implement further safety and pollution prevention measures in the farm, as well as develop several new procedures. The bulk of the corrective actions focused then on setting up a rigorous water parameters analysis programme and new SOP's which have already led to a series of positive data [4].

• Pangasius war resumed

The Catfish Farmers of America (CFA) of Jackson, Miss., has launched a website, http://www.safecatfish.com/, attacking the integrity of catfish and pangasius imported from Vietnam. They also hired a crew who shot a short movie in Vietnam during the third week of April. “They went straight to where the fish are being produced and processed before being sent (to the United States),” said Chip Morgan, executive vice-president of the Delta Council, which is calling for the USDA to ramp up inspections of seafood imports [25].

• Dutch Agriterra helps promote green aquaculture

Agricterra, an alliance of agri-agencies in the Netherlands, has funded a training project on environmentally-friendly aquaculture for farmers in the Red River Delta province of Nam Dinh. As a result, the project has held 44 training courses for 1,200 farmers and almost 400 campaigning sessions to educate 9,500 seafood farmers in food hygiene and environmentally-friendly farming. The President of the provincial Farmers’ Association, Nguyen Van Thanh, said the project has resulted in the application of green technology by 70 percent of local farmers in nine target villages of three districts. Per-capita income for seafood farmers has also risen to between VND70-80,000 a day and production output value to VND120 million per ha against the national target of VND100 million per ha [5].

• Danish fish farming project lifted a family out of poverty

This is the story of one family among many which overcame poverty thanks to the aquaculture training supported by the Danida funded Fisheries Sector Programme Support II (FSPSII), in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). Mr. Tran Van Xam and his wife, Le Thi Hiep, live in Loc Son commune, Phu Loc district, in Thua Thien Hue Province. In 2006, they lost their house during a storm. They then settled on a new piece of land, which they received from Ms Hiep’s parents. With the land was included a small pond, which they expanded with the help of a loan from relatives. Fortunately, just after they finished the pond, they were able to attend training on nursing of grass carp fingerlings, organized by the Provincial Extension Centre with support from the Fisheries Sector Programme Support, funded by Danida. The training was given to a group of 20 and Mr. Xam was selected as the demonstration farmer of the group, because he was poor and had a suitable pond. After about 3 months, the fish, which had grown to 50 gram each, could be sold at 3,000 VND per piece to other farmers for further grow-out. In total, the demo produced a profit of 2.1 million VND on an investment of 6.3 million. Mr. Xam reported that he can have three harvests per year. Together with his profit from rice growing of about 2 million, about 600,000 VND from duck rearing and some income from daily labor, he now earns more than 10 million per year and now has exited his previous poverty status [2].

• Shrimp exports up, but output down

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, seafood export revenues in the first four months of 2010 increased sharply by 20.3 percent over 2009 to $1.3 billion. Shrimp remains the key export item among seafood exports. In 2009, due to the global economic crisis, seafood export revenue decreased by 6 percent. Meanwhile, shrimp was the only product that increased, by three percent. Economists reported that the increase of shrimp exports in 2009 could help prevent seafood exports from sharp drops. Seafood processing companies complain that they lack shrimp materials to process. Due to the shortage, the shrimp price has been escalating, now selling at prices higher by 30-40 percent than late last year. While Vietnam’s shrimp exports have been increasing steadily, its shrimp output has not. In the last five years, shrimp exports have experienced double digit growth each year, but shrimp output has increased much more slowly and and shrimp farming areas have also shrunk. In 2009, shrimp farming area decreased by 66,000 hectares to 548,000 hectares. Concurrently, more seafood processing factories were established, making the shrimp material shortage more serious. In the first quarter of 2010, while shrimp exports rose significantly, the total shrimp output increased by only 6.1 percent, pushing prices up. Farming shrimp requires big capital and production costs in Vietnam are higher than other countries in the region. Therefore, farmers cannot make big profits, which explains why many farmers have given up on shrimp and shifted to other kinds of businesses [10].

• Egypt signs fisheries deal with Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam will train Egyptian technicians in marine and cage aquaculture, particularly in farming grouper, cobia, butterfly fish, and shrimp, under an agreement signed in HCM City yesterday. The signing, made at the end of a week-long visit to Viet Nam by an Egyptian delegation headed by the chairman of the General Authority for Fish Resources Development, followed a memorandum of understanding on fisheries development signed in 2004 by the two sides. Viet Nam would also provide experts in the fields of marine and cage aquaculture farming, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Luong Le Phuong said [11].

• How to cut fish farming costs?

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) has forecast that the total catfish output for export would reach 0.5 million tons this year, with $1.5 billion in revenue. However, high production costs have limited the competitiveness of Vietnam’s catfish on the world market. Fish farming production costs have increased by 50 percent in the last five years for many reasons. The price of fish feed, which accounts for the highest production cost, has jumped in the last few years. It sells at 8000-9300 dong per kilo, much higher than 5000 dong per kilo just five years ago. Sellers explain that higher dollar prices have made feed import materials more expensive. Soybeans, for example, have increased by 40 percent compared to August 2009, while maize rose by 20 percent and fish powder by nearly 20 percent. Analysts say the low quality of breeders also makes production costs higher. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), for the fish farming area in the Mekong Delta in 2009, the market needed an estimated 1.3-1.5 billion breeders, but 2 billion breeders entered the market. The breeders were of low quality and farmers had to purchase additional breeders. According to MARD, the prices of feed for aquaculture are now relatively high, while the products are of low quality. Why are such products still selling? The blame lies with the ineffective product control of state management agencies. Nguyen Huu Dung, Deputy Chair of VASEP, once asked MARD to set standards on fee quality and prices, since those in Vietnam were higher by 20-30 percent than that in China and Thailand. The agency has yet to respond [13].

• Cobia positioned as the First Fish of the 21st Century!

At the recent European Seafood Exposition, the pioneering aquaculture company Marine Farms launched its freshly prepared marine-farmed Cobia. Positioning cobia as ‘the First Fish of the 21st Century’, Marine Farms believe that the combination of flavour, versatility and convenience means farmed Cobia has much to offer several markets, from sushi to food service and retail. Cobia’s year-round availability also means customers can be assured of a constant supply of a high quality fish. Carlos Massad, CEO of Marine Farms Vietnam, explained: “We have applied the extensive experience and expertise Marine Farms has gained over many years, to farm Cobia in Vietnam to European standards, and have been more than delighted with the results. Cobia has performed exceptionally well: it is a fast-growing fish, reaching market size in just one year, and we have had great feedback from International chefs” [15].

• Vietnam to send aquaculture experts to Namibia

Vietnam will send its aquaculture and marine specialists to Namibia under a tripartite agreement between the two countries and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The agreement signed in Roma on May 11 is part of the South-South development projects that Vietnam has successfully conducted with FAO since 1996. A series of detailed projects in Namibia will be carried out by FAO and Vietnam following the tripartite agreement. Addressing the signing ceremony, Jose Maria Sumpsi, Assistant to FAO General Director, hailed Vietnam ’s recent successes, particularly its turning from a food shortage country into a world leading rice exporter. In aquaculture and fishing, Vietnam obtained significant achievements. In 2009, the Southeast Asian nation ranked sixth on export of aquatic products, fifth on aquaculture output and 12 th on fishing output in the world, the FAO official said. As a result, FAO trusted in and asked Vietnam to provide Namibia with experiences, technology and a staff of skilled workers in the aquatic sector. The three sides hoped that with Vietnam ’s experiences in the area, the tripartite cooperation model would be successful in the coming time [17].

• Mekong Delta to export 600,000 tonnes of tra fish in 2010

The Mekong Delta provinces will export 600,000 tonnes of tra fish in 2010, worth 1.5 billion USD, up nearly 160 million USD over the previous year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). To achieve this goal, the region will expand the tra breeding area to 8,600 hectares this year, up 2,440 hectares against 2008. The expansion will be mostly in Dong Thap, An Giang, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Hau Giang, Ben Tre province and Can Tho city. To ensure an adequate long-term supply of tra fish, MARD plans to establish four high-quality breeding farms in An Giang, Dong Thap, Ben Tre province and Can Tho city. The ministry will also equip nine tra farming provinces and cities with a laboratory to check on the quality of feeds, fish fries and fish products [20].

• EU approves VN seafood tests

European Commission authorities have given a partial thumbs-up to Viet Nam's tests and inspections on residues and contaminants in aquaculture. Testing was "adequate", the commission said, but its effectiveness was undermined by the limited scope of "official testing" and the lack of enforcement deterrents. The conclusion followed an investigation of procedures in October last year and a subsequent report from the European Union's Food and Veterinary Office and the commission's General Health and Consumer Protection directorate. The evaluation was based on the community's standards and legislation, including the control and distribution of veterinary medicines. "For aquaculture products, the national residues control plan basically complies with EU requirements. The residues status of aquaculture products imported into the EU from Viet Nam is guaranteed by the pre-export testing programme and the checks of exporting companies," the conclusion stated. "The number of detections of veterinary drug residues in consignments tested at EU border inspection posts has decreased since the 2007 mission. The laboratory network is adequate and sufficient for the residues control purpose." However, the vet office and protection directorate recommended Viet Nam implement a system of effective residue controls and deterrent enforcement measures to avoid illegal or unauthorised off-label use of veterinary medicinal products. The National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department has subsequently required enterprises processing seafood for export to the EU to boost their control measures [24].

• USDA catfish inspections — unresolved

As part of the 2008 farm bill, Congress instructed the USDA to expand its inspections of meat and poultry products to catfish. The inspections were supposed to begin within six months of the farm bill’s passage. U.S. catfish producers welcomed the expansion since it would make their product more attractive to U.S. consumers and would mean Asian imports would be more inspected. Now, nearly two years later, the inspections remain tied up in bureaucratic red tape. The reason for the holdup is trade. For fear of upsetting Asian trading partners the U.S. Trade Representative office has held off issuing a rule on the inspections. In a recent release, the Mississippi-based Delta Council weighed in, saying, “Food safety equivalency standards must be implemented by USDA if the U.S. consumer is to expect the same level of quality control in catfish that consumers currently enjoy with beef, poultry, and pork.” Further, Lester Myers, Delta Council Aquaculture Committee chairman, said, “Congress passed a law in 2008 requiring the inspection of our domestic catfish industry and foreign imports, but the (Obama) administration has been dragging its feet in implementing the final rules to support the law which Congress passed that we believe is due to a fear of trade retaliation by Asian countries [25].

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[4] http://www.fishnewseu.com/latest-news/world/3424-agifish-awarded-friend-of-the-sea-pangasius-certification-.html

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[6] http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-05/giot-rof050510.php

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[8] http://pasaran-saham.blogspot.com/2010/05/indonesian-pearl-grip-26-percent-of.html

[9] http://www.fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?l=e&country=0&special=&monthyear=&day=&id=36511&ndb=1&df=0

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[11] http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/Economy/199453/Egypt-signs-fisheries-deal-with-City.html

[12] http://www.gaiadiscovery.com/marine-life-latest/breeding-pompano-commercially-with-low-environmental-impact.html

[13] http://english.vietnamnet.vn/biz/201005/How-to-cut-fish-farming-costs-909280/

[14] http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/parksville_qualicumbeachnews/news/93474459.html

[15] http://www.fishnewseu.com/latest-news/world/3460-cobia-positioned-as-the-first-fish-of-the-21st-century.html

[16] http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/257527/farmville-guam

[17] http://myvietnamnews.com/2010/05/13/vietnam-to-send-aquaculture-experts-to-namibia/

[18] http://www.brudirect.com/index.php/2010051621376/Local-News/mipr-minister-visits-offshore-cages.html

[19] http://aqdnews.blogspot.com/2010/05/new-hatchery-for-sea-cucumber-at.html

[20] http://myvietnamnews.com/2010/05/18/mekong-delta-to-export-600000-tonnes-of-tra-fish-in-2010/

[21] http://www.agribusinessweek.com/value-added-tilapia-products-showcased/

[22]

[23] http://bintuluonline.blogspot.com/2010/05/bakun-lake-holds-vast-potential-for.html

[24] http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/Economy/199796/EU-approves-VN-seafood-tests.html