In this issue:

Peter Edwards writes on rural aquaculture: Recent developments in Chinese inland aquaculture. Reducing feed costs in aquaculture: Is the use of mixed feeding schedules the answer for semi-intensive practices? Seed production technology of ornamental gouramis Colisa fasciata and C. lalia under captive conditions. Marine finfish market information and aquaculture development trends in selected locations in Indonesia and Malaysia. Market analysis of the live reef food fish trade.

This manual provides guidelines for attaining better practices in culture-based fisheries, an emerging practice in rural areas in the Asian region. It deals with the principles of culture-based fishery practices, primarily based on relatively long-term experiences in Sri Lanka and Vietnam. It deals with the gross factors that are applicable to improving fish yields and therefore revenue; and sustaining culture based fisheries as a development activity in the long-term.

These guidelines provide advice on producing fish seed in small-scale hatcheries. This publication is also available in Oriya.

‘Spawn’ is the name for the young fish about three days old that are available from hatcheries. Sometimes these young fish are also called hatchlings. The spawn of catla, rohu and mrigal is about 6-8 mm long. At this stage, the ‘yolk sac’ is absorbed, the mouth opened and the fins fully developed. Spawn are reared intensively, first to the ‘fry’ size and then to the ‘fingerling’ size. All the three stages are marketed and collectively called ‘seed’.

The “fast fingerling system” can produce advanced fingerlings about two months earlier than they are normally available from fish farms.  The farmer uses just one pond for continuous growing until fingerling size is reached, and fewer fish are stocked. A farmer with a small, seasonal pond can produce fingerlings in one month. These can then be sold for a high price because everyone wants fingerlings as early as possible.