2009 Annual Reports - Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

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BFAR Regional Office 02Tea bag method. Inorganicfertilizer hanged alongthe fishpond to maintainfertility and ensure growthof natural food.Hito, carp and tilapiaharvested (inset).Proper stocking combinationIt must be emphasized however, that properstocking combination and composition must befollowed on any polyculture project. Stocking 50%tilapia and 50% hito for example, is not advisablesince hito are voracious feeder and this would resultto undersized tilapia.As per result of final sampling shown duringthe Harvest Field Day last July 30, the hito reachedan average body weight of 150 grams, carp at 180grams, and the tilapia, being main culture species,at 240 grams. Survival rate was assumed at 85% to90% for the various species. Total production giventhis assumption is 1,453 kilos.The carp was a little bit off target as thefingerlings stocked were small and of mixed size.With retail price of 80 pesos per kilo for carp, 85for tilapia, and 120 for hito, projected net incomeis 81,087.00 pesos from production expense of47,460.00 for an ROI of 170%.Total feeds consumed is 47 bags – significantlylower than current rule of thumb on tilapia fishpondculture which is 10 - 8 bags per thousand pieces.Tambalque said that secondary species (carpand hito) are not taken into consideration whencomputing for the daily feed ration in polyculturetechnology.Balmores observed that fish grows well whenthere is natural food, presence of which can bedetermined through the greenish color of the water.Balmores also said that it is best to feed fish when thesun is up and before sundown as dissolved oxygenlevel is still high during those times.The cooperator advises pond owners to avoidfeeding at night as it might result to suffocationand mortality. Also pre-empt negative effect ofafternoon downpour after a hot day by immediatelyfreshening the pond to neutralize abrupt change inwater temperature.Duckweeds as supplemental fish feedAlicia, IsabelaCooperator: Victoriano GamidoPHOTO FROM BFAR NFFTCFishery experts may have found the answerto the familiar whine from fish farmers – nag ngina tifeeds (feed prices are exorbitant) thru the introductionof duckweeds as supplemental feeds for tilapia.Duckweeds (Lemna sp) are small free –floating aquatic plants that thrive in slow-moving orstill bodies of water. It is currently being promotedby BFAR RO2 as alternative feed for tilapia due to itsreported high protein content.Current technology is product of a continuingresearch started at the BFAR – Agricultural Pilot CenterFish Farm (APCFF) in Iguig, Cagayan in 2007.Result of the initial research on the use ofduckweeds as supplemental tilapia feed has shownthe feed combination of 50% commercial feeds and50% fresh duckweeds as optimum mixture. Said feedcombination yielded 161 grams harvest weight oftilapia after 5 to 6 months culture period with feedconversion ratio of 1.65.The demo of BFAR RO2 in Alicia, Isabela showactual harvest at 740 kilograms from a 1,000 squaremeter fishpond after more than 5 months cultureperiod. Stocking rate is 5 pieces per square meter.14
ANNUAL REPORT 2009Adora Gamido briefs visitors including Isabela AssistantProvincial Agriculturist / Provincial Fishery Officer LynfaAquino during the harvest field day September 8, 2009.Only 18 bags of commercial fish feeds wereconsumed in the demo due to the use of duckweedsand the application of 45-days delayed feedingstrategy. This is significantly lower than current ruleof thumb among fish farmers which is 8 to 10 bagsfeeds, per thousand pieces of stock.Reduction on feed cost translates to a netincome of P 25,313.00 at 62 pesos farm gate price.Production cost is 20,567 .00 pesos.According to Victoriano Gamido, projectcooperator in Alicia, it was his first time to cut onfeed expenses and still has a nice return. The use ofduckweeds significantly cushions impact of currentcrisis, he said.The cooperator also said that duckweed isa good alternate for commercial feeds especially forsmall farmers who oftentimes, are short on capital.What are duckweedsThe natural habitat of duckweeds is thesurface of fresh or brackish water that is shelteredfrom wind and wave action. They are found in all butwaterless deserts or permanently frozen areas andgrow best in tropical and temperate zones.According to Romeo Pizarro, farm managerof APCFF and project leader on duckweeds, theplant prefer partly shaded area and grows luxuriantlyduring the rainy months.Moreover, fertilization is needed in order toincrease the protein content of the plant. Pizarro saysthat normal fertilization in the fishpond is enoughwhen culturing duckweeds alongside fish.How to plant duckweedsPlanting duckweeds simply entail puttingpropagules (fresh duckweeds) in the culture mediumwhich can be in concrete tanks, empty ponds or innet enclosure set in fishponds itself.Duckweeds reproduction is primarilyvegetative. It can double its mass within 2 daysfrom time of planting. It is necessary though, to havemultiple production areas and to plant on staggeredbasis as duckweeds have senescence (die-off) periodof around 30 days.BFAR RO2 recommends use of 10% of totalfishpond area for duckweed production to be sure.Main pest on duckweed culture, Pizarro said,are kuhol and case worm from butterflies.Duckweeds as feed supplementLiterature cites crude protein (CP) contentof fresh duckweeds of up to 43%. Dry samplessubmitted by BFAR RO2 for analysis however yielded18.4% only.Duckweeds is fed fresh and since it floats,it may be totally used by fish. Pizarro, however,underscored the need to stock size 14 fingerlingsto enable the fish to immediately ‘eat’ or ‘swallow’the plant.Other potential uses of duckweedsReferred to as “egg from the water”, theBurmese, Laotians and Thai have long used the plantas vegetable, according to literature.The plant can reduce algae growth (excessivegrowth and its die-off consumes dissolved oxygenand can result to fish kill), coliform bacterial countsand mosquito larvae on ponds. Through the processof photo synthesis, duckweeds can thus aid incombating global warming.Individuals who were lucky to sample tilapiaproduced from the demo in Gamido’s farm said thatits taste is superior to those that are raised using purecommercial feeds. This confirms earlier taste sensoryevaluation conducted by APCFF.Fish farmers who are short on capital cannow engage in the highly lucrative tilapia farmingbusiness by using duckweeds as supplementalfeeds. Currently, the bureau is undertaking full-scaleproduction and distribution of duckweeds at APCFF.15
Page 1 and 2: Department of AgricultureBureau of
Page 3 and 4: ANNUAL REPORT 2009INSIDEMessage of
Page 5 and 6: VISIONA modernized fishery sector t
Page 8 and 9: BFAR Regional Office 022Nueva Vizca
Page 10 and 11: BFAR Regional Office 02Isabela· Ma
Page 12: BFAR Regional Office 02RFRDCBFAR RO
Page 15 and 16: ANNUAL REPORT 2009Agribusiness and
Page 17 and 18: ANNUAL REPORT 2009“Reeforestation
Page 19: ANNUAL REPORT 2009Value-Added Produ
Page 23 and 24: Carol Romero, fishery technician of
Page 25 and 26: ANNUAL REPORT 2009vessel. Just like
Page 27 and 28: ANNUAL REPORT 2009Awarding of outst
Page 29 and 30: ANNUAL REPORT 2009Regional Staff to
Page 31 and 32: ANNUAL REPORT 2009Aquaculture Espec
Page 33 and 34: ANNUAL REPORT 2009Typhoon / disaste
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Page 37 and 38: ANNUAL REPORT 2009Assessment activi
Page 39 and 40: ANNUAL REPORT 2009Agricultural Pilo
Page 41 and 42: ANNUAL REPORT 2009Northern Luzon Fi
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Page 45 and 46: Aquaculture also tripled its produc

2009 Annual Reports - Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

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