This lecture has been delivered during October, 2014 as the preliminary lecture in the Fish Culture Development training course. This course is annually organized by the “Egyptian International Centre for Agriculture – EICA”. The purpose of delivering this lecture is to share the Egyptian experience in aquaculture especially in the light of the remarkable development of aquaculture in Egypt. The lecture began with historic information and proceeded with the development till the present. The features of development have been highlighted including farming systems and farmed species. The trade and consumption are also covered. The share of fish production in Egypt in relation to African and global fish production is addressed. Fish imports, exports and available fish consumption are covered in the lecture. Because of the importance of governing regulations, the institutional framework has been addressed. The lecture concluded by key issues of concerns as well as the development outlook in relation to the national strategy of fish production. Farming infrastructures and supporting activities are addressed including fish hatcheries, fish feed mills and others.
Permanent link to this article: https://fishconsult.org/?p=12007
Oct 28 2014
Integrated aquaculture-livestock farming in Laos
Photo credit: MK19 – Fisheries and Aquaculture Production in Reservoirs in Lao PDR
Review: MK19 – Fisheries and Aquaculture Production in Reservoirs in Lao PDR and Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the website)
Integrated aquaculture-livestock farming is expanding downstream of Nam Souang near the main irrigation canals from the reservoir. Canals provide water supply to ponds, which are fertilized by the wastes from chickens or pigs, improving efficiency of nutrient conversion. Ponds are stocked mainly with exotic fast-growing and hardy species such as Nile tilapia and carps.
It may worth mentioning that the dissemination of suitable aquaculture technologies has been supported by several projects including those between the government of Lao PDR and UNDP/FAO. The project adapted systems of aquaculture that suit local socio-economic, cultural and environmental conditions including pond fish culture, integrated farming with livestock, rice-cum-fish culture and fish seed production.
Permanent link to this article: https://fishconsult.org/?p=12001
Oct 27 2014
Liming shrimp ponds in Thailand
Credit for the photos: Ahmed Shaheen (Egypt)
Review: Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the website)
A relatively recent farm survey (NACA, 1996) revealed that about 90% of Thai shrimp farmers spray lime to tackle the low pH associated problems especially those related to health and survival of farmed shrimp.
The application of lime is done to correct the soil pH and stabilize water pH. Moreover, lime is also applied to disinfect the pond and control disease (especially external parasites), while a secondary effect of liming is the release of trapped nutrients that become unavailable under acidic conditions. Liming is of particular importance in shrimp farms which were constructed on previous mangrove areas whereas acid sulphate soils are common in these farms. Liming of shrimp ponds is usually done prior to stocking and occasionally during the grow-out season.
Lime is spread evenly over pond bottom, and also spread along dikes and water supply canals as shown in the photos. The four types of lime used in Thailand are “agricultural lime”, “hydrate lime”, “quicklime”, and “dolomite”. Even though, the use of particular type(s) of lime is favored over others in specific situations, lime quantities used are often based on accumulated experiences with few cases on laboratory analysis and recommendations. It could be said that the agriculture lime is used in relatively large quantities compared to other types of lime. For guidance only, the recommended quantity of agricultural lime (CaCO3) is 1-2 ton/ha when soil pH is higher than 6, and 2-3 tons/ha when the soil pH ranges from 5-6, and 3-4 tons/ha when the soil pH is lower than 5.
In general, lime requirement for clay soil is higher than that for sand. This is due to the low porosity of clay, the presence of acid producing minerals, and to the higher concentrations of pyrite that continues to release acid. It may worth mentioning that excessive use of lime that could lead to high water pH which in turn makes ammonia more toxic to farmed shrimp.
Permanent link to this article: https://fishconsult.org/?p=11994
Oct 26 2014
Road-side fish markets in Yangon, Myanmar
Source of the photo and text: Aquaculture Asia, Volume XII No.3, July-September 2007
The photo shows a road-side fish market in Yangon, Myanmar. In such type of fish markets, carps and tilapia are commonly sold. The photo did not show many other fish sale including dried fish which is locally named (nga chaut). It may worth mentioning that Yangon was the capital of Myanmar before 2008. The city is livelier than ever with shops, food stalls, shoppers and tourists.
Permanent link to this article: https://fishconsult.org/?p=11990
Oct 26 2014
Use of ice in anesthetizing the broodstock of Asian seabass – Video
Video credit: Ahmed Shaheen (Egypt)
Review: Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the website and video channel)
This video was filmed in a marine hatchery in Vietnam in which Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) is being reproduced. In order to achieve a safe handling of large-sized broodstock of Asian seabass, its anesthetizing is necessary. Hypothermia using ice –as shown in the video- was adopted.
Generally, hypothermic anesthesia acts on variety of fishes by drastic lowering temperature through immersing them in crushed ice or ice water.
As shown in the video, it took few minutes to partially anesthetize the Asian seabass broodstock allowing their handling.
Permanent link to this article: https://fishconsult.org/?p=11986
Permanent link to this article: https://fishconsult.org/?p=11982
Oct 23 2014
Fish Hatchery Management (Reproductive biology – natural reproduction – spawning induction – hatchery operations and management)
This lecture was delivered during October 2014 as a part of Fish Culture Development training course. This course is annually organized by the Egyptian International Centre for Agriculture (EICA). In order to address the management of fish hatchery management, it was necessary to start begin the lecture with the modes of fish reproduction as well as parental care in various groups of fish of global dimension. Gonadal development and triggering spawning factors have been addressed as an introduction to hatchery techniques and spawning induction. The management of broodstock and their replacement have been covered then the hormones used in the artificial reproduction whether the pituitary glands or various hormones such as HCG or LHRH). The spawning operations are covered in the lecture including the hormonal injection, ovulation, incubation and hatching. Water requirement in regard to quantity or quality has been also covered. Also, the enhancement of the hatchery performance has been covered in the lecture. The lecture ended by the nursing of hatchlings. The lecture is supported by numerous pictures and figures.
Permanent link to this article: https://fishconsult.org/?p=11978
Oct 23 2014
How to harvest European seabass from off-shore cages in Spain- Video
Video credit: Ahmed Shaheen (Egypt)
Review: Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the video channel and website)
The video shows the process of the harvesting of European seabass (Dicentrachus labrax) grown in off-shore cages in Spain. The first part of the video shows the crowding of harvested fish while the last part of the video shows the scooping of fish which is placed in a container for post-harvest process and transport.
Permanent link to this article: https://fishconsult.org/?p=11975
Oct 22 2014
Feeding grass carp on paddy in a facility in Pakistan
Credit: Muhammad Shahid Iqbal (Tawakkal)- Pakistan
The facility in which the photo has been taken is in a fish hatchery whereas grass carp is reproduced. The plant shown in the photo is paddy. The plant is provided once daily for the grass carp of 2-3 kg average size. In this particular pond, grass carp is produced in polyculture with the Indian carp “Rohita”.
Permanent link to this article: https://fishconsult.org/?p=11972
Oct 22 2014
Value chain of fish harvest from cage farms in the Asuogyaman District of Ghana
Credit: Patrick Appenteng (Ghana)
One of the pictures shows fish farmers bringing the harvested fish from their cages using a local planked canoe of about 6-m in length. The cage farms (seen behind the canoes) are located in the Asuogyaman District of Ghana where aquaculture is relatively predominant. The second photo shows carrying harvested fish to be processed indicating a part of the value chain in Ghanaian aquaculture.
Permanent link to this article: https://fishconsult.org/?p=11963