April 24, 2014

The Philippine's Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is instructed to investigate and eradicate white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) that has infected shrimp farms in various parts of the country, according to a Philippine law maker.

Zamboanga City Representative Lilia Macrohon-Nuno said the WSSV has become a serious threat to the fishpond industry and has affected the livelihood of thousands of Filipinos.

The virus attacked the barangays of Vitali, Tictapul and Mangusu in Zamboanga City recently. In two or three days it can wipe out all shrimps in a farm and the infection can eventually cripple the country's shrimp industry.

Macrohon-Nuno said the presence of the virus has been detected in various parts of the country and it could affect the status of the Philippines as the world's third largest exporter of shrimps.

She said it has been reported that the normal harvest of one to 1.5 tonnes per hectare per fishpond has been down to 200 kilogrammes or less because of the prevalence of the virus, thereby affecting the livelihood of the families dependent on the fishpond industry.