March 22, 2007

Problems facing Philippine white shrimp industry revealed

The Philippine aquaculture sector has called on Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap to act immediately on certain problems that threaten the viability of the gradually flourishing Pacific white shrimp industry.

Fisheries and Aquaculture Board chairperson Chigling R. Tanco told the Philippine Star that growth prospects of the Pacific white shrimp may not be achieved unless problems such as lack of viable and disease-free broodstock, inadequate knowledge of proper biosecurity measures and growers' need for financial assistance.

Tanco also urged Yap to give further attention to the industry and earmark funds for the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to train its personnel on biosecurity measures to take a "developmental" and "nurturing" role in protecting the country's shrimp farms.

At present, the private sector is alone in educating farmers about the proper development and Tanco stressed the need to implement biosecurity measures to successfully propagate the P. vannamei or Pacific white shrimp variety in the country.

She warned that shrimp farming in the country is risky because of the dire knowledge on proper shrimp growing and lack of information dissemination.

The local black tiger prawn industry, Tanco claims, has been infected with a white spot virus which BFAR is not aware of because "no one is reporting the infection."

She explained biosecurity measures involves more than just having clean water in cultivation ponds/tanks, wearing gloves or boots but includes having a secure pond or tank location which is not near a lot of possible pollutants or sources of infection, ensuring the proper brood stock from reliable and accredited sources, regular updating of the brood stock and knowledge about the use of antibiotics.