Newsfeed Agrilink 2013

Penaeus vannamei: finally taking off in the Philippines?

Crab Monoculture Trial ]using Tateh Crab Feeds Innovative Techniques for Improved Survival of Hito in Grow Out Santeh Partners with UPLB-IBS for Lake Buhi Water Quality Assessment

Tateh NewsFeed Agrilink 2013 Issue | 1

Editorial

Exotic Species and Philippine Aquaculture

E

xotic species refers to plants and animals which are not native to an area. It is a term used to refer to any species that has been introduced to an area whether deliberately or by accident.

But “invasive species” is now the term preferred by environmentalist to highlight the dangers involved in introducing a nonnative species to an area because of their tendency to dominate over native species and drastically alter the biodiversity of the said area.

In the Philippine aquaculture industry exotic species have two sides: positive and negative. Take the case of tilapia which is native to Africa and was introduced as a food fish. While numerous fish farmers prospered by growing tilapia, shrimp farmers used to consider tilapia only as pests to be eradicated so as to minimize predation and competition with shrimps for food. Then later when it was discovered that they can help manage the occurrence of luminous bacteria, shrimp farmers started to welcome them to their farms. Tilapia has also been blamed for the dwindling stock of indigenous species in inland waters such as tawilis in Taal Lake and the sinarapan in Lake Buhi. But there is no denying the present role of tilapia in national food security as a low cost source of animal protein to the extent of replacing the galunggong as the poor man’s fish.

The latest species which for a time was banned in the Philippines even long after it created so much wealth in other Asian countries is the Pacific white shrimp or white leg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) which originated from the Pacific coast of Central and South America. It became legal to culture the P. vannamei only in 2007 and is now making an impact on the local shrimp industry. Now it is poised to take off in the Philippines as local exporters seek to fill the supply gap created when major producing countries in Asia including the shrimp industry powerhouse are suffering from outbreaks of acute hepatopancreatic necrosis syndrome o (AHPNS) which is more easily recalled as Early Mortality Syndrome or EMS.

The situation in aquaculture is not unlike that in agriculture where most of the vegetables we now use are actually nonnative species. These include all those mentioned in the popular dity “Bahay Kubo”. jincama yam, eggplant, winged bean and peanuts are all imported species.

Even the sweet potato has its origin in Peru. Sayote comes from Mexico.

Unfortunately many other invasive species either only have a “bad side” without any redeeming value or has a bad side that greatly outweighs any good side it may have. This is the case of the now notorious janitor fish (Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus), the black chin Tilapia (Sarotherodon melanotheron) and now the knife fish (Chitala ornata).

The janitor fish with its bony and thorny body tears down fishing gears, cages and fishpens when trapped. The black chin Tilapia does not grow big and competes with other species for food in the ponds.

Being an ominivore it can also prey on other fish. Furthermore it has the capability to breed even in hyper saline waters and can possibly “invade” even the coastal waters. The knife fish was introduced to the Philippines as an ornamental fish and is native to the Mekong basin area from Vietnam Laos, Cambodia to Thailand.

Due to its carnivorous feeding habit, it has become a major pests in fishpens and fishcages where they prey on. Some

of the exotic species of course turns out to have high market value such as for instance the Chinese softshell turtle (Pelodiscus sinensi). But how much can we possibly gain from it and how much do is the tilapia industry losing from the stock they devour?

The emergence of pests consisting of species which were brought in with good intention is a warning to everyone that just because a species can be marketed or maybe useful for certain traits, it does not mean it can just be brought in anytime at the pleasure of anyone. The government has well defined guidelines to follow in the introduction of new species. This includes a lengthy risk assessment process.

The private sector ought not to circumvent these rules. Look at the case of the golden kuhol and now the black chin tilapia. They may seem harmless but as with any exotic species they have a tendency to invade, proliferate and dominate in the local environment causing untold economic losses and their ecological consequences can never be fully predicted. While it is also not wise to completely ban the introduction of new species this should be done with extreme caution. It is incumbent upon the regulatory agency concerned to exercise vigilance in the entry of live organisms and for the public to be equally vigilant in reporting to proper authorities the occurrence of unusual or strange organisms.

NEWSFEED

Santeh Feeds Corporation Phone: (02) 375-1560 to 62 Telefax: (02) 375-8031 Email: inquiry@tateh.com

EDITORIAL TEAM Phillip L. Ong HC Yean Ma. Patricia I. Rico Baby Chua Editorial Advisers

Wilfredo Yap Editorial Consultant Dennis Rito Layout & Design

Daniel Cabrera Ariel Reputola Lovela Tinambunan Ryan Roy Lobendina Julius Remar A. Gabiota Contributors

Visit our blog: www.tateh.com/blog 2 | Tateh NewsFeed Agrilink 2013 Issue

News

High Returns in High Value Fish

By Ryan Roy Lobendina

by constructing another 12 units.

Assuming the same recovery rate at harvest there is no doubt that Dela Cruz is set to double his income to 6 million pesos per seven months once the additional units start to operate Dela Cruz introduced other measures to improve his business. Some of these innovations included putting nets above the pens to minimize predation and escape, as well as regular degassing of the bottom after every culture cycle.

Mr. Paquito dela Cruz, with Ryan Roy Lobendina & Oskko Pototan in Mr. dela Cruz’ farm in Real, Quezon

Rearing high value finfish has gained ground in the country. Where this used to be limited to grouper and sea bass, this now include the culture of pompano among others. Many who ventured into pompano has found it be a venture that is worth their while.

Take the case of Paquito dela Cruz.

A former caretaker of a tilapia farm in Batangas, Paquito ventured into mariculture of pompano three years ago in Real, Quezon. His experience in aquaculture supplemented with ideas from other growers and specialists familiar with the culture of

high value fishes greatly contributed to the success of his pompano venture.

Dela Cruz has twelve units of fish pens that can accommodate 120,000 pompanos. With an average recovery of 67 percent, he harvests 45 tons of fish ranging from one-half to one kilogram in size. With a farm gate price of 300 to 400 pesos per kg, he can generate a minimum of 3 million pesos net return after seven months of culture. Because of the promising potential of this business, Paquito has decided to double his capacity

With his awareness on the importance of practicing an environment-friendly mode of culture, he is able to sustain the viability of the area for a longer time. In addition to this, his active participation in different seminars and workshops makes him aware of the different challenges that the industry might face in the future. His success is the product of hard work, motivation, and daringness to take the risks. Considering the potential of the industry both for local and foreign markets, he hopes to inspire others to venture into the same business. With good fingerlings, good feeds and good management, success awaits others who will venture into high value fish production.

Crab Monoculture Trial using Tateh Crab Feeds

By Lovela Tinambunan

Crabs are usually way grown in brackishwater fishponds together with milkfish, sugpo or white shrimps.

Stocking rate in this polyculture method on a per hectare basis is 30 to no more than 500 pieces of crab plus 1,000 pieces of milkfish and 5,000 pieces of sugpo or perhaps up to 10,000 pieces of white shrimps (which now may consist of P. vannamei). Under this system, milkfish occupies the water column while the crustaceans dwell at the bottom of the pond. This is the traditional way throughout the country.

Continued to P4...

Tateh NewsFeed Agrilink 2013 Issue | 3

News “Crab Monoculture...” (from P3)

Althoughcrab-milkfish-shrimp polyculture is already a profitable venture, many farmers want to maximize the production of crabs because it commands a higher market value and has a growing demand both in the export and local market. In this light, Santeh Feeds Corporation is proud to do its part to help farmers realize their desire to produce more crabs by refining the technology for crab grow-out, making it simpler, more consistent and more profitable.

feed consumption at a smaller area since crabs are nibblers and very dependent on its sensory organ to find their feed. After 30 to 45 days of culture, the crabs were dispersed throughout the one hectare pond.

Feeds are monitored with the use of feeding trays and feeding tables.

consists of big sized crabs at 300 to 400 grams while only the small size crabs at 100 to 150 grams made up only 10 percent. The crabs are expected to be harvested at 500 grams within 4 to 5 months but it looks like some of the crabs may be already harvestable after only three months.

Sampling results show significant growth improvement. From an initial body weight of 44 grams, crabs gained 23 grams after 30days while inside the nursery pen. After dispersing the stock throughout the whole pond, the crabs grew even faster and attained an average body weight of 220 grams after one month. Half of the stock

Santeh Feeds Corporation is the ONLY FEED COMPANY producing crab feeds in the whole Asia. Tateh Crab Feeds is the product of extensive research and development on the nutritional requirement of crab and has been tested in different feed trials in crab producing areas all over the country.

Santeh Partners with UPLB-IBS for Lake Buhi Water Quality Assessment

In order to give fish farmers as well as the local government of Buhi , Camarines Sur a comprehensive update on the water quality status of Lake Buhi, Santeh Feeds Corporation tapped the Institute of Biological Sciences of the University of the Philippines Los Banos to conduct a limnological survey on the lake last August 2013. The four-person research team led by Dr. Macrina T. Zafaralla used state-of-the-art multi-parameter equipment known as Sonde which was acquired through a grant from DOST-PCAARRD. The Sonde has the capability of determining the levels of Dissolved Oxygen (DO), pH, ammonia, nitrite and other parameters simultaneously in one sampling in

Trials using Tateh Crab Feeds are being conducted in several places specifically in areas where mud crab is commonly cultured. One of which is being conducted in San Jose, Northern Samar in a one hectare pond in the farm of Mr. Jun Robles. Here 3,000 pieces of juvenile king crab or Scylla serrata were stocked at an initial weight of about 44 grams. Stocking is three times higher than the polyculture set up and feeding is 100 percent Tateh Crab Feeds. Before stocking, a 20-by-40-meter pen made of bamboo poles and net was constructed inside the pond. This is where the crabs are initially stocked. This is to maximize

By Daniel Cabrera

Dr. Macrina T. Zafaralla (4th from left), and her Team from Institue of Biological Sciences, UP Los Baños along with Santeh Sales & Marketing Team led by Daniel Cabrera (3rd from left) and some members of Buhi LGU.

4 | Tateh NewsFeed Agrilink 2013 Issue

Continued to P 10...

News

Aquaculture Management Seminar in Anda, Pangasinan

By Ryan Roy Lobendina

Mr. Diomede Bucog

environmental-friendly approach to cage-farming using Tateh extrusink.

In this presentation which was delivered by Mr. Diomede C. Bucog Jr., Tateh Aquafeeds Area Manager for Mindanao, the importance of feeds and feeding management for the success of the milkfish farming in cages was highlighted. The presentation also emphasized important technical considerations (e.g. stocking density, cage positioning) in the culture of milkfish in marine fish cages. The third topic was delivered by a representative of Philippine Plastics Industry Association which emphasized the importance of plastic in maintaining fed product quality and its potential as a source of supplemental income if properly recycled or reused. The presentation also showed that plastics by itself should not solely be blamed for many environmental issues.

Santeh Feeds Corporation, with the collaboration of the Local Government Unit of Anda, Pangasinan, and BFAR Region I, conducted a seminar on basic aquaculture management last July 31, 2013. The seminar aimed to acquaint milkfish growers of Anda on proper aquaculture management that is environment-friendly and sustainable. It was attended by 137 participants consisting of barangay officials, caretakers and local investors.

The seminar covered not only the aquaculture aspect of milkfish growing

but also the proper management of waste, especially plastic, as part of responsible industry practice.

Sudden appearances of dead tilapia caused considerable alarm and concern to the fish farmers in Isabela. Because of this, Santeh Feeds Corporation in cooperation with Central Luzon State UniversityCollege of Fisheries held a three –day Tilapia Health Mission last June 24-26, 2013 to find out the culprit in the said fish kill. Tilapia from five ponds and one cage were randomly drawn and examined.

Tilapia Health Mission in Isabela

The first topic, presented by a BFAR1 representative, was on determining the optimum environmental conditions to reduce the risk of mortality and diseases. It also included strategies on how to minimize and manage unfavorable conditions in the water and on how to maintain or sustain the viability of the culture system. The second topic was on the

The participants showed their attentiveness to the topics being discussed by participating in the question and answer portion. The activity enriched the knowledge of the participants not just on the business side but also on conserving the integrity of the environment and ensures the sustainability of their aquaculture operation.

If humans enjoy medical missions why not a similar activity for fish?

By Julius Remar Gabiota

“Bukod sa pabago-bagong panahon, hindi namin alam kung bakit namamatay yung mga tilapia naming inaalagaan”, said Eddie Mabat, a tilapia farmer in Isabela. “Baka may iba pang sanhi ng pagkamatay ng mga isda maliban sa panahon tulad ng mga Continued to P11

Tateh NewsFeed Agrilink 2013 Issue | 5

Special Feature

Penaeus vannamei: finally taking off in the Philippines?

By Daniel Cabrera

A

lmost 15 years after being farmed illegally and six years after it was finally legalized in 2007, production of the Pacific white shrimp in the Philippines remained sluggish and limited to filling local demand.

This is so unlike what happened in other neighboring countries where their shrimp production and export shoot up shortly after the species was introduced legally and promoted several years earlier than 2007.

The situation is not due to lack of know-how and technology. Calatagan farmers are proof that local farmers are capable of producing as much per hectare as their Thai or Vietnamese counterpart. This town is a complete example of successful species shift from sugpo to the exotic white shrimp. This is also true in other parts of the country like many provinces in Central Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao that Calatagan farmers has a decided advantage in the lucrative live and fresh chilled market because of their proximity to Metro Manila.

The problem was that by the time the import and culture of the species was made legal, production in all other countries were so high that world prices had already gone down to a 6 | Tateh NewsFeed Agrilink 2013 Issue

level that local shrimp farmers found too low. Philippine farmers found it more profitable to concentrate on the local market which has higher prices making it uncompetitive in the export market. The local market of course has its limit in terms of volume it could absorb so production levelled off.

Here comes the export market This year however the export market beckons and is luring both current and wannabe farmers in the Philippines.

What happened? Why the sudden rush to produce for export? The answer lies in three letters: E M and S which stands for Early Mortality Syndrome.

World supply of shrimp is down with the fall of giant production powerhouses China, Thailand and Vietnam, due to EMS. Following the law of supply and demand the drop in supply is causing prices of vannamei to soar in Europe, America and Japan markets.

In China, EMS occurred in 2009 but it was only in 2011 that outbreaks became more serious. Farms that have operated for more than 5 years and use high salinity water from the sea were reported to be particularly susceptible.

In Vietnam, the disease was observed since 2010, widespread devastation was reported only since March 2011 in the Mekong area where a total of 98,000 ha is reported to be affected.

In Malaysia, EMS was first reported in mid-2010 in the east coast states of Pahang and Johor. This caused a drop in Malaysian production from 70,000 mt in 2010 to 40,000 mt in 2011. It was reported in Thaland only in 2012 with production on some farms in eastern parts of the Gulf of Thailand to have reportedly gone down by 60 percent. Total shrimp production for 2013 is predicted to be down 30 percent from last year The current high world price due to insufficient supply has sent Philippine exporters to start scurrying for shimps only to find the local production grossly inadequate. Thus EMS has started a chain reaction which has led to local farmers ramping up their production and new investors to come in. The Philippines fortunately is still EMS free.

Present P. vannamei Production by Region In Northern Luzon, very few farms are engaged in intensive vannamei culture.

Most of them are only extensive and

Special Feature some are rasing them in polyculture with milkfish. In Central Luzon , Taiwanese farmers in Zambales are more aggressive in investing in intensive vannamei culture at a stocking density of 80-100 pcs/m2 . They are doing very well with a survival of 80%. Farmers in Pampanga, Bataan and Bulacan are mostly only into tilapia and vannamei polyculture systems with a 1:2 ratio for tilapia and vannamei. A high volume of harvest cannot be assured under this production schemes.

In Southern Luzon, Calatagan in Batangas is the only area engaged in intensive vannamei culture, the other provinces are only engaged in extensive systems. In Visayas, although there are intensive vannamei farms in Bohol, Cebu, Tacloban and Negros, most farmers are still focusing on sugpo or tiger prawn. In Southern Mindanao, particularly the General Santos area and in Northern Mindanao, intensive vannamei farms can also be found.

Both Visayas and Mindanao send their harvest to Manila.

Using Calatagan As a Model Calatagan is a good model for successful vannamei venture. Here the shrimp farmers follow the basics: right management, right quality fry and right quality feeds. Calatagan farmers are not easily attracted to additional inputs which promise better yields. Guided by a simpler feeding technology approach offered

by Tateh Aqua Feeds, farmers are able to maximise weight output of cultured vannamei ending to an ABW of 15 grams in 90 days of culture with an FCR of 1.3 to 1.5 at a density of 100 per m2 at a production cost of 170180 pesos per kg.

Tateh customers are well known for their simple yet money making style of farming. Farmers using Tateh feeds earn considerable profit for white shrimp without investing so much in high-technology systems like pond liners and series of probiotics which after all gave lower or almost the same

results as conventional systems.

discolored hepatopancreases.

Quezon province can become a very good area for vannamei farming.

The province is seldom visited by typhoons and floods. The area is likewise accessible and it is very near Metro Manila. Water quality in Quezon is likewise of high quality with good record of tidal fluctuation both from the east and western coast. Production in Zamboanga Peninsula, Leyte, Negros and Cebu islands can be further expanded considering that these areas were into intensive sugpo before. Investors can be guided properly by Santeh Feeds technical staff in selecting the proper area and guidance in proper feeding management.

Researchers in the University of Arizona led by Dr. Donald Lightner has identified the cause of EMS to be a strain of a bacterium commonly found in brackish coastal waters everywhere: Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

What makes the bacteria virulent may a phage or virus that infects and replicates within this particular strain of V. parahaemolyticus. This means the Vibrio has to be infected by a virus before it becomes deadly!

What is EMS? EMS or early mortality syndrome is also termed acute hepatopancreatic necrosis syndrome or AHPNS. The disease affects both P. monodon and P. vannamei. It is characterized by mass mortalities during the first 20 to 30 days of culture in growout ponds.

Clinical signs of the disease include slow growth, corkscrew swimming, loose shells and pale coloration.

Affected shrimp consistently show abnormal shrunken, small, swollen or

While EMS has not yet occurred in the Philippines, precautions are always necessary especially since the causative bacteria Vibrio parahaemolyticus is also found here. Since it is caused by a bacteria the usual precautions can greatly minimize the risk of its occurrence.

Whether farming P. monodon or P. vannamei it is always advisable to use only shrimp fry from reputable hatcheries that are certified as disease free, adopt proper pond preparation procedures including thorough drying and fallowing between cycles, use only of feed from reputable companies such as Santeh Feeds Corp,, close and regular monitoring of stock and pond condition.

Juvenile Penaeus monodon from Vietnam. Left appears normal (except for black gills), while right 2 show dark, atrophied HPs typical of EMS. (Source: Biology & Pathology of Early Mortality Syndrome of Shrimp by Prof. Donald Lightner, University of Arizona)

Tateh NewsFeed Agrilink 2013 Issue | 7

Feature

Mighty Crab!

By Lovela Tinambunan

Have you ever dined at Seafoods By The Bay in Subic? Next time you are in the area do not miss it and make sure to order their Chili Crabs. It is the restaurant’s best seller and with good reasons. The crabs you will get are not hollow inside but guaranteed to be meaty. They are heavy and meaty because they are well fed. John Ong, the restaurant’s proprietor is always sure of the quality of his crabs because he raises them himself.

C

onsistent crab quality used to be Mr. Ong’s problem when he was getting his supply from a nearby consignacion in Orani, Bataan.

So he thought of growing them himself.

He rented a one hectare fishpond one hour from his restaurant and stocked it with juvenile crabs. He fed the crabs with trash fish which he buys daily in the market. He then brought the harvested crabs to his restaurant where they are kept alive and displayed in glass aquaria. He observed that the crabs on display invariably lose weight and live for only three days. So he thought there must be a way to make them healthier, heavier and able to live longer without losing weight through improved nutrition. He then asked around and found out that pelleted diet that is formulated specifically for crabs is available from Santeh Feeds, producer of Tateh Aquafeeds. He immediately shifted from trash fish to Tateh crab feeds and found the quality of his crabs greatly improved.

Culture Method With technical assistance from Santeh Feeds, he now stocks 6,000 pieces of 8 | Tateh NewsFeed Agrilink 2013 Issue

crabs with average body weight of 15 g. He made ten 1 m x 1 m feeding trays and spread these all around the pond.

He allocated one percent of total feeds for each tray and monitors them 1 to 3 hours after feeding depending on the stage of culture. He feeds the crabs four times a day with equal rations per feeding time. He adjusts the feed ration the following day based on the monitored consumption of feeds from the feeding trays. This system is similar to what is being done in shrimp culture. Sampling is done every two weeks. Crab fence is installed around the dike to keep the crabs from crawling out of the pond.

Convincing Results After five months, the crabs on the average weighs 500 grams or half a kilogram each. Feed conversion ratio is 0.9 – meaning for every kilogram of crab harvested he uses only 900 grams of crab feed. This keeps his production cost to only 50 pesos per crab. His crabs can now last for a week in the display aquaria with minimal weight loss. The meat of the crabs fed with Tateh feeds are so compact

that it does not easily deteriorate after harvest. He also observed that the pinchers and the legs are still intact even after cooking. Because his crabs are always meaty and fat he calls them ‘mighty crabs’. He is so confident of the consistent quality of the crabs he serves that he has a “money-back” guarantee to the diners in Seafoods by the Bay if the crabs served to them are thin and hollow inside.

Tateh Crab Feeds Availability Tateh crab feeds are available nationwide in Santeh branches and dealer outlets. Santeh formulates feeds for different stages of crab starting with crumble and starter for younger cabs and then progressing to grower and finisher and finally to fattener pellets as the crabs grow in size.

“

Feed conversion ratio is 0.9 – meaning for every kilogram of crab harvested he uses only 900 grams of crab feed.

”

Technology

Innovative Techniques for Improved Survival of Hito in Grow Out

By Ariel Reputola

P

osters announcing “inihaw na hito” or grilled catfish on roadside stands or “Live Hito for Sale” signboards are now familiar sights along Philippine roads and highways. According to the latest statistics from the Bureau of Agriculture Statistics, total production nationwide in 2012 reached 3,595.37 MT up 15.3 percent from the previous year’s production of 3,117.93 MT and 21.4% from the 2010 production of 2,960.04 MT. Iloilo topped the production at 1,050.49MT followed by Nueva Ecija (373.51MT), Pampanga (358MT), Davao City (348.42MT), and Bulacan (292.45MT) all from freshwater fishponds.

Furthermore, it has a tasty and tender meat even at bigger size compared to other catfish species. Several fish farmers make every effort to catch up with the growing local demand as evidenced by the consistent and high farm gate price in most areas. The raising of catfish involves extremely heavy stocking and intensive feeding although some farmers are into semiintensive level of operation or even polyculture with other freshwater fishes. By applying good culture management, hito growers using small ponds or tanks can earn as much as or even greater than tilapia or milkfish growers using areas that are ten times bigger.

The most common species cultured in the country is the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) due to its fast growth and large size attainable. It also helps that breeding and growing protocols are already available.

African catfish is one of the hardiest species in aquaculture but for some reason fingerling production still suffers from low fry survival. As a result, fingerlings 2 to 4 inches long are relatively expensive at 2 to 6 pesos per

piece. The high cost is somewhat mitigated by the high survival during the grow-out phase. Smaller size fry at one inch length or smaller (15 days after hatching) and intended for nursery operation are preferred in grow out operations due to their lower price (30 to 50 centavos each) and its use is becoming a common practice.

But survival rate is low at 12 to 30 percent plus it takes 3.5 to 4.5 months to reach harvestable size while 2 to 4 inches fingerlings require a culture period of only 2 to 3 months with higher survival rate.

Observant and adept farmers discovered simple innovations that turned around business of hito farming. Aside from proper nutrition, minimizing predation is the second most important factor that determines fry survival.

Farmers learn that a pond free from predatory fishes is not a guarantee of high recovery. Birds such as egret Continued to P10

Tateh NewsFeed Agrilink 2013 Issue | 9

Technology Innovative Techniques ... (from P9)

and kingfisher are the major predators with the former preying especially at night. Chinese softshell turtle, bullfrogs and its tadpoles also devour hito fries. Fry and fingerlings up to 4 inches long tend to congregate in the shallow portions of the pond in search of food and as their preferred habitat while young or hang on the water surface in a still manner when full or in resting mode ensuing easy capture by potential predators. Bigger juveniles or even grower stage catfish are not safe from predation.

Farmers found out that the use of net cover in the entire pond helps in attaining higher survival from fry to fingerlings by preventing the birds from preying on the fish. The net cover also helps in mitigating temperature rise in the pond water due to solar radiation.

Such protective net covers are not difficult to install because most hito ponds are generally small in size.

Santeh Partners with UPLB... (from P4)

addition to determining the depth of the sampling station. Using a GPS, the geographic positions of the sampling stations were established so that subsequent samplings in the future can consistently be conducted in the exact same locations.

Water samples were also collected from all the sampling stations for plankton analysis and other parameters not covered by the Sonde equipment.

Based on their studies, the UPLB-IBS team found out that all water quality parameters in Lake Buhi are within the normal range. It means Lake Buhi water quality can still support fish production for many years to come. It can also be recalled that the team of Dr. Zafaralla way back in 1986 already conducted a water quality survey in the lake. That was the time when tilapia cage culture and construction of National Irrigation Administration 10 | Tateh NewsFeed Agrilink 2013 Issue

Another innovation is to maintain a low water level of about 30 centimeters even after stocking. The shallow water encourages the growth of natural food, facilitates better feeding and allows proper development of gas bladder that aids the grown up fishes to swim and survive in deeper areas.

Cover nets are kept in place up to harvest which results in outstanding yield.

Although using nets presents additional investment cost, where every 500 square meter of pond requires 9,000 pesos additional capital, it is cost effective. Central Luzon farmers who pioneered the techniques claim 50 to 80 percent survival rate.

Simultaneous with the aforementioned practices is the use of quality feeds like TATEH Hito Feeds. With the right amount and proper time of feeding, fast growth and zero cannibalism are achievable. Water quality is much

better as compared to ponds using fresh offal. Although catfish can thrive even in the worst water, better growth is exhibited in ponds with better water quality. It is also important to note that cold months do not favor good survival and growth. Metabolism slows down at lower temperature. This is true for all stages. Thus, growth is inhibited and resistance to diseases is reduced making the fish susceptible to fungus and other disease outbreaks. Water management, stocking rates and feeding rates should be adjusted accordingly following proper pond preparation. Smaller and deeper ponds are easier to manage.

Using TATEH Hito Feeds ensures bigger profits while the culture cycle can be scheduled to take advantage of more favorable time. Having been formulated by SANTEH Feeds Corporation, proper nutrition for hito is available in all stages.

News Tilapia Health mission... (from P5)

bacteria, di lang namin alam”. The said fish kill was observed to start on the month of May and persisted while slowly tapering off until August.

Sudden change in the temperature was suspected to cause the fish kill incident.

During summer, the temperature in Isabela reaches up to 40° Celsius. This high temperature causes stratification of the water column in lakes or ponds when the upper layer warms up while the bottom layer remains cold especially on windless days. Ponds stratify because warm water is lighter than cold water.

(Water attains its highest density at 4°C at which point the density decreases before it freezes at 0°C. ). Fish kills occur when heavy rains fall suddenly on warm water in the ponds. Rain water being colder and therefore denser than the pond water sinks. Upon sinking this causes the bottom water to go up or overturn. The bottom water is generally lower in dissolved oxygen

(NIA) dam facility have just started.

However, the research team noted that according to 1977 records, the average water depth of the lake was 12.86 meters. In the current study, the average water depth is only 9.67 meters with a range of 3.13 to 15.90 meters.

Dr. Zafaralla is calling for a sustainable usage of the lake so that it can still be productive for many generations to come. She likewise reiterated that fish kill incidence in the lake can be directly attributed to upwelling or lake turn-over due to abrupt change in weather i.e. from Amihan to Habagat which usually happens during month of August to November.

“Farmers must be very cautious during the occurrence of this phenomenon and they must be proactive in order to avoid economic losses,” she commented during a mini-seminar

and has higher levels of ammonia and even hydrogen sulphides that are products of decomposition (of uneaten feeds, feces and dead fish).

This disturbance brings these toxic products of decomposition to the entire water column causing stress to the fish if not outright mortality. Stress weakens the immune system of the fish making them more susceptible to any pathogenic bacteria which maybe present in the water.

Aside from the sudden change of temperature in ponds, other factors that were suspected to contribute to fish kills include improper pond preparation and management, low water quality, improper feeding management and low fry quality.

“Mahirap ikontrol ang lahat ng factors sa pagkamatay ng isda. Hindi kami sigurado sa tubig kasi di naman natingnan at natest kasi. Sabayan pa yan ng climate change na sinasabi,

for fish farmers held at the Lake Buhi Development.

Dr. Zafaralla likewise acknowledges the effort of Santeh Feeds in sponsoring such a timely study on the lake for the benefits of the fish farmers as well as other stakeholders. The said research activity was made possible with the collaboration of Lake Buhi Development Office of the Buhi-LGU, Buhi Agricultural Supply, BFAR-Buhi and DOST-PCAARD. Two years ago, Santeh Feeds Coroporation introduced Tateh Premium Extrusink as an alternative to conventional sinker feed pellets. It is an extruded based aqua feed product proven to be more environmentfriendly than conventional sinker pellets. Fish farmers report lower FCR and less feed wastage due to the high digestibility of the product.

mahirap talaga”, said Rowel Villaluz, a fish farm owner in Isabela.

Several water tests were also done in Mr. Villaluz’s ponds and it was found out that dissolved oxygen level, acidity and alkalinity were all normal.

This was possibly because he used probiotics and vitamins to strengthen the immune fishes of his tilapia.

Farmers are looking forward to knowing the laboratory results and to find out what the real culprit is.

“Thankful kami sa ginawa na ito ng Tateh, at least kung hindi man ngayon e sooner or later on, malalaman na naming ang misteryo sa likod ng pagkamatay ng mga tilapia. Mahirap kasi pag ganito, e business naming to.

Pag walang isda, walang kita, walang pera”, Mrs. Villaluz, Rowel’s wife, added when asked what she thought about the activity.

“Sa May kasi sobra pang init dito, e uulan bigla tapos iinit din, makikita mo na lang na lumulutang na ang mga isda kinaumagahan”, said Romulo Ybanez, another fish farmer in Isabela.

Further examination were conducted on the fish samples at the CLSU laboratory to confirm whether there were really bacteria present that caused the tilapia to die. For Santeh Feeds Corporation, fish kill in Isabela or any where is a matter of high concern not only for the people who rely on tilapia farming but also for the aquaculture industry as a whole.

Fish kills occur when heavy rains fall suddenly on warm water in the ponds. Rain water being colder and therefore denser than the pond water sinks. Upon sinking this causes the bottom water to go up or overturn.

Tateh NewsFeed Agrilink 2013 Issue | 11

12 | Tateh NewsFeed Agrilink 2013 Issue