Aquaculture Asia Magazine, January-March 2018

The practice of collecting penaeid shrimp seed and prawn seed from inundated agricultural fields adjacent to the Rupnarayan River has become a supplementary source of income for local communities. During the wet season each year, the river floods the extended open tract of unsown paddy fields. This article describes the traditional fishing practices, gear and livelihoods associated with capture and grow out of shrimp and prawn seed in this region of West Bengal, India.

Insects form a natural food source for many aquatic animals. This and the presence of chitinase makes insect meals a logical alternative to fish meal in the formulation of aquaculture diets. Insect meals have also been shown to allow for enriching through dietary intake. Of particular interest has been the use of black soldier fly larvae. This article reviews the life history and potential of black soldier fly larval meal to replace fishmeal used in fish diets.

Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture is a flexible concept, on which many variations can be developed and should not be viewed as confined to open-water, marine systems. Freshwater integrated multi-trophic aquaculture, perhaps better known as aquaponics, applies the same principles as those used in marine integrated multi-trophic systems. In particular, using plants to reduce phosphorus (and other nutrient) levels in effluents can help farmers meet water quality guidelines and prevent eutrophication in the environment.

Originating from South America the apple snail species of Pomacea, commonly referred to as golden apple snail, was imported into Vietnam from 1985 to 1988 with the intention of raising it for human consumption. Not long after that, the introduced snails quickly spread to most freshwater ecosystems of the country. This review examines the current status and history of apple snail introduction in Vietnam, and the various control and management measures used to cope with snail infestations.