Genetics and Biodiversity

In this issue:

Experts gather to save giant catfish. Workshops on dissemination of better practice models for culture-based fisheries. Dr Chris Baldock, 1947-2005. MAHSEER 2006. MOU signing on conservation of Mahseer in Malaysia and Indonesia. Application of molecular genetics in aquaculture and inland fisheries management. New president of Iran Fisheries Organization. Workshop on the fishery management tool 'EnhanceFish'. Regional Mariculture Development Workshop in China, March 2006. Invitation to apply for position of Director General of NACA. MPEDA expands program on shrimp farmer clubs.

This is the report of an inception workshop for the Mekong Giant Catfish Working Group. The Mekong giant catfish Pangasianodon gigas is listed as critically endangered in the 2003 IUCN Red List. The purpose of the workshop was to exchange information on the current state of the Mekong giant catfish and the relevant conservation and research activities of key organisations, and to establish a joint planning process aimed at developing an overarching conservation strategy for the Mekong giant catfish.

This report provides details of the activities and outcomes of work conducted under the World Bank, NACA, WWF and FAO consortium program on Shrimp Farming and the Environment. The report synthesises the major findings of the consortium program from 1999-2002. It includes the outcome from a stakeholder workshop that discussed the program findings, hosted by the World Bank in Washington DC, in March 2002.

This review documents the status of shrimp aquaculture in relation to mangrove forest ecosystems. The environmental, social and economic impacts of shrimp farming are discussed, with examples covering both the negative and positive aspects of the sector. The review considers interventions and other activities to improve the sustainability of shrimp farming in the context of coastal zone management and the protection of mangrove ecosystems. The effectiveness of these interventions is considered in the light of experience based on case studies.

In this issue:

Freshwater prawn culture in China and its market prospects. Demise of wastewater-fed duckweed-based aquaculture in Bangladesh. Freshwater finfish biodiversity - an Asian perspective. Her farm is destroyed, how can we help? Women oyster vendors in Eastern Thailand. Farm-level feeds and feeding practices for marine finfish. ACIAR grouper grow-out feeds and CSIRO research. Feed development and application for juvenile grouper. Grouper growout feeds. Silver pomfret culture technology.

The main output of the International Conference on Aquaculture in the Third Millennium. The Declaration summarises the key impediments and opportunities in aquaculture development that are likely to arise over the next 20 years and provides strategic policy guidance for sustainable aquaculture development. The Declaration was adopted by conference participants in a plenary session.

In this issue:

Captive breeding of vulnerable Indian carp Cirrhinus reba for conservation. Conservation of the Asiatic catfish Clarias batrachus through artificial propagation. A perspective on breeding and genetics of walking catfish in Thailand. Decline of wastewater-fed aquaculture in Hanoi. Artificial propagation of indigenous Tor species in Malaysia. Aquaculture of spotted babylon Babylonia areolata. First successful hatchery production of Napoleon wrasse Cheilinus undulatus. Trade and market trends in the live reef fish trade.

This report has attempted to gather all of the currently available data on the extent of P. vannamei and P. stylirostris importation and culture in Asia, its potential problems and benefits, to provide a source document from which to investigate further the means by which control over this issue might be re-established. Recommendations aimed at controlling the importation, testing and culture of these species have been made for all levels and are included in this report.

In this issue:

Genetic considerations in fisheries and aquaculture with regards to biodiversity. Rice-fish culture for food and environmental security. Land-based aquaculture of spotted babylon Babylonia areolata in Thailand: Hatchery-based seedling operation. Shrimp health question and answer. Women in coastal aquaculture. Insights into live marine food fish markets in Asia. Farming practices, market chains and prices of marine finfish in Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong.

In this issue:

Genetic impacts of translocation on aquatic biodiversity in Asia. Carp culture in Iran. Opportunities and challenges in Myanmar aquaculture. Impacts of monosex Macrobrachium culture on seed availability in India. Use of new technology and skills for eco-friendly production of tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon. Larval rearing and spat production of the windowpane shell Placuna placenta. HACCP in shrimp farming. First breeding success of Napoleon wrasse Cheilinus undulatus and coral trout Plectropomus leopardus.

Wild-harvest fisheries for live reef fish are largely over-exploited or unsustainable. Sustainable aquaculture – such as that of groupers – is one option for meeting increasing demand for reef fish as well as potentially maintaining livelihoods of coastal communities. This report draws upon secondary literature, media sources and four diverse case studies from at-risk reef fisheries, to frame a strategy for encouraging sustainable aquaculture as an alternative to destructive fishing practices. It was commissioned by the APEC Secretariat.

Sulawesi has the largest coral reef area in Indonesia, at the epicenter of worldwide marine biodiversity, but is one of the areas most threatened in Southeast Asia by destructive fishing practices. This case study reviews the potential for aquaculture to provide alternative livelihoods for fishers within the context of an integrated, community-based coastal management plan with involvement of local communities empowered to control and steward their resources so that they can conserve and utilise them sustainably.

The Nature Conservancy has been working in Komodo National Park since 1995 to establish a marine reserve that 1) ensures long-term protection of the natural community structure, habitat and species and protects a portion of the exploited reef fish stock to enhance fisheries in the traditional use zones inside the Park and in the waters surrounding the Park. This case study illustrates mariculture activities that could contribute to conservation purposes and more sustainable use of natural resources.

This report describes the national-level requirements for data collection and sharing mechanisms for fisheries co-management in Cambodia. It presents the findings from a thorough literature review and workshops, group and individual interviews. Community fisheries in Cambodia are at a very early stage of development, and the exact management responsibilities are still poorly understood by many stakeholders. This report relates the information needs voiced by participants in this study.

In this issue:

Aquaculture and food security in Iraq. Natural breeding in captivity - conservation of the threatened freshwater featherback Notopterus notopterus. Culture of Penaeus japonicus. Enzymes for sustainable aquaculture. Review of global tilapia farming practices. Fish culture in Yucatan, Mexico. Shrimp farm project planning, preparation and implementation. Coping with low shrimp prices. Efficiencies in barramundi culture. The innovative contributions of women in aquaculture. Marine finfish section. What's new on the web. Aquaculture calendar.

Small-scale aquatic resources play an important but poorly quantified role in the livelihoods of rural people in many developing countries, and are also important reservoirs of biological diversity. We conducted a field study in Southern Laos to quantify small-scale aquatic resource, and to assess the impacts of (small-to medium
scale) irrigation and aquaculture development on these resources.

In this issue:

Ornamental fish farming in India. Tilapia for Indian aquaculture? Peri-urban food production in southeast Asia. Socio-economic consequences of shrimp farming in Andhra Pradesh. Breeding techniques for golden arowana Scleropages formosus. Captive breeding of peacock eel Macrognathus aculeatus. Substrate-based aquaculture systems. Extension in shrimp health management - experiences from India. Treatment of disease in freshwater shrimps and crabs in China. Larval rearing techniques for humpback grouper Cromileptes altivelis.

In this issue:

Peri-urban aquaculture in Kolkata. Diffusion and adoption of shrimp farming technologies. Aquaculture education in India. Information system on fish germplasm resources in China. Freshwater crustacean aquaculture in China. The role of macronutrients. Innovations by Bengal farmers. Scientific guidelines for freshwater prawn farmers in India. Status of mariculture in Indonesia. Use of probiotics in larval rearing. Problems in shrimp culture during the wet season.

In this issue:

Fertilisation, soil and water quality management. Commercialisation of giant freshwater prawn culture in India. Aquaculture in reservoir-fed canal systems. Production of black-lip pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera. Hybridisation hassles. Breeding sea cucumber Holothuria scabra in Vietnam. Use of palm kernel meal in feeds. Getting the most out of your feed. Marine finfish aquaculture in Myanmar. Penaeus monodon culture in low-salinity areas. Fisheries and aquaculture in Nepal.

In this issue:

Aquaculture for poverty alleviation and food security. Shrimp pond waste management. Properties of liming materials. Seed production of mud crab Scylla spp. The dilemmas of strain selection. Seed production of the crucifix crab Charybdis feriatus. A general approach to disease treatment and control. Breeding and seed production of mangrove snapper Lutjanus argentimaculatus. Responsible use of antibiotics in shrimp farming. Health management for cultured marine fishes. Molecular methods for rapid detection of pathogens in seafood.