Reducing dependence on the utilisation of trash fish as feed for aquaculture of marine finfish : NACA

Objectives

Update 24/8/2010

On-farm trials comparing the relative performance of trash fish and pelleted feeds have been completed.

The project Reducing dependence on the utilisation of trash fish as feed for aquaculture of marine finfish in the Asian regionaims to reduce the perception of small-scale marine fish farmers that trash fish performs better as a food source than compounded feeds. The project will facilitate a transition away from dependence on trash fish to more sustainable alternatives, contributing to the overall sustainability of the sector and the livelihoods of the many thousands of farmers involved.

Background

Marine finfish aquaculture in Asia has been developing rapidly at around 10 percent per annum over the last decade and is the fastest growing sub‐sector in Asia. Much of this increasing production is attributable to the expanding culture of high‐value marine carnivorous species such as groupers. The countries that lead in marine finfish aquaculture currently are China, Indonesia, Viet Nam and Thailand, as well Korea and Japan, with India planning a major expansion. However, the sector is largely dependent on so-called 'trash fish', which is usually the only food source of the cultured stocks.

It has been estimated that the marine aquaculture sector in China in 2000 consumed about 4 million tonnes of trash and that demand is likely to increase unless viable alternatives are made available and their efficacy as feed sources are improved. For example, the total use of 'trash fish' by the aquaculture industry in Viet Nam was estimated at between 176,420 and 323,440 tonnes in 2001 and it is further projected that by the year 2013, the requirement for Viet Nam would be around one million tonnes. There are widespread concerns about the sustainability of using trash fish in this way.

The 18th NACA Governing Council in Bali requested the initiation of a regional project aiming to reduce the dependence of small-scale marine fish farmers on trash fish as a feed source. The same issue also arose at an FAO Expert Workshop on "Use of wild fish and/or other aquatic species to feed cultured fish and its implications to food security and poverty alleviation", held in Kochi, India in 2007, which recommended that work on encouraging farmers to use compounded feeds in mariculture be urgently undertaken. This project is a response to these concerns.

Expected outputs

The overall outcome of the project will be a reduced dependence on trash fish (and marine resources) for marine finfish farming in China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam and more widely throughout Asia via NACA's networking mechanisms. The outcome will be achieved through a combination of:

Improved feed practices and a shift in the sector towards better diets, and particularly the use of formulated diets. This outcome will increase the long term viability of marine fish farm operations and improve the livelihood of practitioners and contribute to poverty alleviation.
Establishment of a scientifically rigorous database on the advantages of using pellet feeds.
Development of better management practices (BMPs) for improving efficiency of marine finfish feeding and building capacity amongst practitioners on improved feed management.
Dissemination of BMPs through farmer organizations such as "aquaclubs" and use of such organizations as mechanisms to develop credit schemes for procuring feeds.

Progress

An inception and planning workshop was held in Krabi, Thailand from 8-10 September 2008, bringing together the project teams from participating countries. The workshop finalised the work plan, methodology and in-country logistics to undertake research activities including participatory trials to study farmers' perception on the use of low-value fish vs forumlated feeds.
On-farm feeding trials were conducted to evaluate the relative performance of trash fish against pelleted feeds in China (Zhanjiang), Indonesia (Lampung), Thailand (Krabi, Phang Nga and Phuket) and Vietnam (Nha Trang). The result of the trials indicate that the differences in the efficacies of the two feed types were not markedly different, for all the species tested, even after accounting for differences in the locations for any one species.