Technical publications

NACA publishes technical papers and manuals for a wide variety of farming systems and related environmental and social issues. Many of these provide guidance on better management practices with a view to improving crop outcomes and on-farm resource utilisation efficiency. By using inputs such as feed and power more efficiently, farmers can simultaneously improve their profitability and environmental performance.

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Publications

NACA publishes a wide range of aquaculture publications including technical manuals, workshop proceedings, better practice guidelines and several serials including Aquaculture Asia Magazine, the NACA Newsletter and the Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report. To keep up to date with developments you could consider subscribing to our RSS feed

In this collection

Better practice guidelines: Fingerling production nursing spawn and fry in pens

In watersheds, medium irrigation projects can be useful for aquaculture even though these water bodies are many times larger than ponds, and are basically built for irrigation or water storage. However, the full potential of these water bodies is not yet realised. Net pens or cages can be used to rear fingerlings in such environments.

Better practice guidelines: Advanced fingerling production in seasonal ponds

It is best to stock advanced fingerlings in large ponds, tanks, and in both small and large reservoirs, since they can better escape predators and competitors. Seasonal ponds, often 0.10-0.15 ha and 1.5-1.8 m deep can be used as rearing ponds for raising advanced fingerlings. Low water levels at the end of the season will make netting and harvesting easy.

Better practice guidelines: Advanced fingerling production in perennial ponds

Everyone wants advanced fingerlings as early after the rains as possible. They fetch a good price and make marketable fish production possible in seasonal ponds. One way to produce early season advanced fingerlings is to grow them in perennial ponds and store them at high density with minimal feeding for the coming year. Whe such "stunted" fingerlings are stocked into ponds with good feed they grow fast and can be marketed in about 6-8 months.

Better practice guidelines: Spawn production of common carp

Common carp is a foreign fish and there are several varieties. The variety used in Western Orissa is the fully scaled carp, which suits the tropical climate. Common carp lives and feeds near the pond bottom and can be grown with the Indian major carps, catla, rohu and mrigal as a 'polyculture' (which means growing many different types of fish together). It can also be grown alone, as a 'monoculture' in rice fields with high dykes that retain water.

Better management practices manual for black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) hatcheries in Viet Nam

In order to provide practical and effective technical guidance for shrimp hatchery management, it is necessary to establish a set of better management practices (BMPs) which underpin an effective hatchery production system. This document is not a complete manual on the management of P. monodon hatcheries but concentrates on the implementation of BMPs for the hatchery covering all of the critical stages and processes in the production cycle, which are currently believed to be causing problems in Vietnamese hatcheries. 

Reducing the risk of aquatic animal disease outbreaks and improving environmental management of coastal aquaculture in Viet Nam

This report describes the experiences and lessons learnt from activities conducted by NACA in Viet Nam to support the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector using better management practices and harmonised strategies for the management of aquatic animal health and environmental problems. Achievements included reducing the risk of diseases from seed and on farms, developing capacity at the provincial and national levels, developing an effective surveillance system and wide dissemination of experiences.

 

Better practice guidelines: Spawn production in hapas

These guidelines provide advice on producing fish seed of the Indian major carps in hapas within ponds to improve survival.

Better practice guidelines: Marketable fish production in seasonal ponds

It was common to believe that fish cannot be cultured in seasonal ponds. However, fish can be produced in any pond of any size, anywhere in Orissa, provided that the water quality is good enough. A small and shallow pond that retains water for two months can be used for raising fry. A larger and deeper pond holding water for three to four months can be used for fingerling production.

Better practice guidelines: Recognising and managing common fish diseases

If the place where fish live is good and healthy, fish rarely die from diseases. If we stress fish by roughly handling them, by keeping too many together, or by not feeding them well, they may suffer from disease. Depending on the disease, we may see lots of fish die in a short time, small numbers of fish deaths every day, reduced growth, marks on the fish, or a change in the way they look or swim.

Two worlds across a highway

This story comes from Lake Keenjhar near Thatta town Sindh Province in Pakistan. It contrasts the lives of women in the fishing village of Chilya with the life of an influential business man with a fish farm on the opposite side of the highway.