Vietnamese catfish - better management practices update

A number of farmers have volunteered to trial the draft better management practices (BMPs) developed by the catfish BMP project, for the purpose of evaluation and demonstration. The draft BMPs were developed following extensive surveys of industry practice and stakeholder meetings convened by the project team in October 2009 in Cao Lanh City, Dong Thap Province (Chaired by Provincial Agricultural Office and the Director RIA 2, Dr. Nguyen Van Hao), and in Can Tho City (Chaired by Professor Nguyen Than Phuong of Can Tho University).

Eleven BMP demonstration farms have been setup in partnership between farmers and the project team and are about three months into the six-month production cycle. These include seven grow out farms (three in Can Tho, one each in An Giang, Hau Giang, Vinh Long and Dong Thap), three nurseries (two in Dong Thap, one in Can Tho) and on hatchery in An Giang.

Better management practices for catfish aquaculture released

'Better Management Practices for Catfish Aquaculture' Version 3.0 was released at a national workshop in Long Xuyen City, An Giang Province, Vietnam on 24 November. These improved farming practices are the culmination of a three-year project investigating catfish farming practices in the Mekong Delta, funded by AusAID under the auspices of the program Collaboration for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD), and conducted in partnership between NACA, the Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 2, Can Tho University, the Victorian Department of Primary Industries and catfish farmers in the Mekong Delta.

Speaking at the workshop, NACA's Director General, Prof. Sena De Silva, said that Vietnamese catfish aquaculture is the most productive farming sector in the world and has put Vietnamese aquaculture firmly on the global map. 'More than one million tonnes of fish are produced from an area of less than 10,000 hectares in the Mekong Delta. The industry provides around 180,000 jobs and generates more than US$ 1 billion in foreign exchange for the country', he said.

Catfish farming is highly intensive. The industry average yield in the delta exceeds 400 tonnes per hectare per crop, with farmers producing two crops per year. However, the profit margin is slim and farmers need to produce high volumes to survive. In this business, a few cents per kilo can make the difference between making a huge profit or a huge loss. 'But we have to understand that we cannot continue to intensify indefinitely', Prof. De Silva said. Right: Vice Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Madam Thu.

Broodstock management training course launched by NACA and UNU-FTP

Although the aquaculture sector in Asia has grown considerably over the last three decades, currently accounting for over 90 percent of the global production of approximately 62 million tonnes, there is reason to believe that the rate of growth is declining. One possible reason for this decline is a decrease in the quality of seed stocks of many of the major species cultured. Few hatcheries have personnel trained in broodstock management or effective broodstock management plans in place. The situation has been further exacerbated in countries that are dependent on alien species where the sector is witnessing the deteriorating quality of broodstock, which in most instances are based on small imported founder populations that have been maintained in captivity for many generations without genetic management. Establishing capacity in broodstock management is a prerequisite for the development and maintenance of improved, more productive strains desired by many countries.

These problems and related issues have been acknowledged in many fora, including the Asia Regional Ministerial Meeting on Aquaculture for Food Security, Nutrition and Economic Development (2011), the FAO/NACA/DOF Global Conference on Aquaculture (2010) and the FAO/NACA Expert Consultation on the Use and Exchange of Aquatic Genetic Resources (2009). Capacity building in broodstock management has been requested at every annual meeting of the NACA Governing Council since 2006.

Broodstock management training course launched by NACA and UNU-FTP

Although the aquaculture sector in Asia has grown considerably over the last three decades, currently accounting for over 90 percent of the global production of approximately 62 million tonnes, there is reason to believe that the rate of growth is declining. One possible reason for this decline is a decrease in the quality of seed stocks of many of the major species cultured. Few hatcheries have personnel trained in broodstock management or effective broodstock management plans in place. The situation has been further exacerbated in countries that are dependent on alien species where the sector is witnessing the deteriorating quality of broodstock, which in most instances are based on small imported founder populations that have been maintained in captivity for many generations without genetic management. Establishing capacity in broodstock management is a prerequisite for the development and maintenance of improved, more productive strains desired by many countries.

These problems and related issues have been acknowledged in many fora, including the Asia Regional Ministerial Meeting on Aquaculture for Food Security, Nutrition and Economic Development (2011), the FAO/NACA/DOF Global Conference on Aquaculture (2010) and the FAO/NACA Expert Consultation on the Use and Exchange of Aquatic Genetic Resources (2009). Capacity building in broodstock management has been requested at every annual meeting of the NACA Governing Council since 2006.