PCAARRD ISPs for Marine Resources To boost the country’s innovation for agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources (AANR) sectors, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) introduced the Industry Strategic Science and Technology (S&T) Plans or ISPs for marine resources such as abalone, blue swimming crab, sea cucumber, seaweed, sardine, tuna, and ocean environmental concerns among others for increased production by 2020. For abalone, or “sea ear”, the donkey’s ear abalone is the most common species for culture. It is bigger and grows faster among the 15 species and the technologies for its hatching and culture are already developed. Exported Abalone (meat) in 2009, was valued at $106,000. The abalone locally name “sabra-sabra”, “lapas” or “kapinay” is considered the new hope for Philippine aquaculture. World production of abalone of 20,000 mt in the 1970s declined to 9,000 mt in 2008. With farming, world production increased to 44,510 mt in 2008, however, the lack of seed supply and poor settlement limit abalone farming and culture activity. S&T intervention on R&D initiatives will focus on broodstocks and hatchery management that will deal with the refinement of broodstock/hatchery technology; grow-out production through refinement of nursery grow-out technology; selective breeding and development of new hybrids, development of health management protocol and designing new grow out system. Feed development of alternative low-cost feed (maturation nursery and grow-out diets) and development of appropriate post harvest handling/processing technology, to complete the intervention are included. For the blue swimming crab, the country’s 7th most important fishery export known as alimasag kasag, musog or lambayog is the main target specie for processing of crab meat. Peak of the industry was in 2001 at 35,920 mt since 1990. However, production declined to 33,700 mt in 2008 and then to 29,800 mt in 2010 due to over harvesting. Lack of appropriate culture, technology and seed supply limited the farming and culture activity of the industry. S&T interventions will focus on research and development initiatives on broodstock and hatchery management, grow-out production, feed development and development of appropriate post harvest handling/processing technology. For seaweed, the Philippines is the world’s number one producer of raw materials for carrageenan until 2008 when Indonesia took over. Kappaphycus and Eucheuma are the most common commercially cultured species and comprise the seaweed industry in the Philippines, as the source of carrageenan, an algal colloid that has various food and industrial applications. In 2010, total seaweed production was 84,500 mt and semi refined carrageenan production was 2,592 mt. At present, only 58,624 ha (or 23%) of total potential areas for seaweed farming (255,000 ha) in the country exist. For sea cucumber, it ranks 10th among the fishery export products in the Philippines and a significant dollar earner and source of income of many coastal households. At present, the Philippines is currently the 3rd largest exporter of sea cucumber locally known as “balat”. “Trepang” or “beche-de-mer” other names for sea cucumber in dried form is commercially exploited as food item and source of natural medicine and other products. These are very popular to Chinese and other Asian because of the associated curative, dietary and aphrodisiac properties. Sea cucumber stocks are overfished and undervalued resulting to a decline in supply of high value species and products. With appropriate sea cucumber management, it is projected that the production will increase by 20% in 2020. Development of a sea cucumber industry is PCAARRD intervention to contribute in the recovery of wild stocks and sustain income of fisheries. The established hatchery culture of Holotchuria scabra, one of the most valuable species provides an opportunity to boost the production of premium great sea cucumber products. For sardine, sardine fishery contributes 46% of the total annual marine production, 40% export share amounting to 16 million USD making it one of the country’s major fisheries export commodities. The Philippines is the 3rd world producers of sardines. They are caught in coastal areas but most fishing grounds show signs of overfishing and in danger of depletion. Excessive fry fisheries hastens stock depletion and make difficult to correctly identify species dominating catches in the country’s various sardines fishing grounds. If fisheries management and policies in the country are in place, it is projected that the sardine industry will increase by 20% in 2020. For Tuna, there are 21 species recorded in Philippine waters. Only the skipjack yellow pin and bigeye tunas are exported while the rest are sold for domestic consumption. Tunas are caught throughout the Philippine waters, but most productive fishing grounds are Sulu Sea, Moro Gulf and water extending to the North Celebes Sea. Tuna contributed 30% of the total annual marine production, 40% export share amounting to 10 million USD, making it one of the country’s major fisheries export commodities. The industry employs about 120,000 workers. The S&T bundle of initiatives for tuna aims to sustain the current tuna production, develop new products and explore new markets. S&T interventions for abalone, blue swimming crab, seaweeds, sea cucumber, sardine and tuna to increase production and cope up with target markets are the application of strategic R&D, promotion and technology transfer activities, policy issues and concerns, capacity building and consultations with their respective partners in the region. (Estrella Z. Gallardo, PSciJourn MegaManila)
Posted on: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 03:38:36 +0000
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