A perspective on aquaculture development in the Pacific Island Nations: History, current

status, problems and solutions

Contribution paper on- Pacific and indigenous Aquaculture 7-11 June, World Aquaculture, Adelaide 2014.

Satya Nandlal*, Suresh Chand**, Tavenisa Vereivalu**, Maleli Dawai**, Robert

Jimmy***

*Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane.

**Ministry of Fisheries, Suva, Fiji

***Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Noumea New Caledonia.

History-aquaculture in PICs

• Some form of aquatic husbandry practiced

traditionally- French Polynesia, Kiribati & Nauru.

• No documentation of aquaculture having been

carried out traditionally in other islands. • More recently, the PIC region has

experienced successive waves of modern aquaculture "development."

Pacific Island Region

Pearl, shrimp, seaweed, tilapia , milkfish, giant clams, giant freshwater prawns

First wave 1950 -1960

• SPC: Van Pel & L.C. Devambez Era • Aquaculture (e.g., introduction of Mozambique

tilapia) for supplementing protein deficient diets (Fiji, Hall 1949; Western Samoa, Van Pel 1954; Cook Islands, Van Pel 1955; Papua New Guinea, Schuster 1950.

– All early attempts failed to establish long-term commercial, or even subsistence level fish farming activities.

– Introductions of tilapia caused problems: eradication projects initiated in Nauru (UNDP 1981).

– In PNG, tilapia escaped to natural waters where production was 2,700 mt/year artisanal fishery (Kan 1979).

Second wave-early 1970s

• Joint UNDP/FAO & SPC venture- project ‘the South Pacific Islands Fisheries Development Agency’ (SPIFDA): Villaluz era.

• Aquaculture consultants: J. Glude (mollusc culture specialist) & D. Villaluz (fish culture specialist).

Recommendations led to new aquaculture projects

E.g., Aquaculture research and demonstration facilities : (1) St. Vincent Bay, New Caledonia; (2) Raviravi, Fiji; and (3) Koror, Pelau. Introduction of Nile tilapia and Giant Freshwater Prawn

(GFP) Macrobrachium rosenbergii into Fiji and some PICs

Third wave-1980s

• CNEXO in Fiji & New Caledonia. • UNDP/FAO in 1982 terminated support for the milkfish

farm project in Kiribati. The British O.D.A. provided funds for extension of this project.

• Japanese aid – funding for Mariculture Laboratory in Tonga.

• Japanese Aid Funding (JICA): biological & technical feasibility of prawn culture in Fiji.

• U.S.A: Peace Corp Volunteer Program in subsistence aquaculture projects in Fiji & Western Samoa.

• British Volunteer Service Organization (VSO) -working on a Euchema culture project in Kiribati.

• AusAID: funding of a baitfish culture farm at Togalevu, Fiji

Third wave-1980s

• Aquaculture development/facilities supported by individual governments.

• Examples include;

– Naduruloulou Research Station, Fiji (carp, tilapia and GFP hatchery)

– Kanudi & Dobel Stations in PNG,

– Micronesian Mariculture Demonstration Center in Pelau.

– CNEXO's facility in French Polynesi

New strains of tilapia including ‘Chitralada’ (from Thailand) and red tilapia

(from Taiwan) introduced to Fiji

Issues prior to 1980s (1983)

Regional review by PIDP 1983: • Poor project success rate when outside consultants

used; • Who really benefited from aid projects? • Projects lack components necessary for long-term

success; • Unrealistic estimates in projects & proposals; • Southeast Asian experience may not fit the Pacific

Islands???

Addressed feasibility, not practicality "experts" were often poorly trained…..

General outcomes pre-1990s

• Many species trialed in diverse locations (PIDP reports) . • Examples:

– brine shrimp project in Christmas Island, Kiribati; – Total atoll production system pilot project in Cook

Islands; – SPIFDA projects at Raviravi, Fiji – two oyster farms in Vanuatu; – baitfish projects in Western Samoa and American

Samoa; – introduction of the oyster Crassostrea gjgas

throughout the region for culture. Small-scale tilapia farms in Fiji, and GFP farm Aquaculture developments showed a relatively poor success rate.

4th Wave -1990-present

Important person

Headache person

1st Asian Regional workshop on Tilapia Genetics

Why Tilapia?

• Local population accustomed to eating Mozambique tilapia

• Easy fish to handle and grow

• Simple hatchery technology

• Technology easily adaptable and understood…

• Grow and survive at high densities in most production systems

• Utilise local resources….

Tilapia introduction into Fiji

Species Source Date Reference

O.mossambicus Malaysia 1954 Holmes 1954; van Pel 1955

O.niloticus Israel 1968 Lewis & Pring 1986

O.niloticus Israel 1979 Uwate et al. 1984

Red tilapia Taiwan 1981 Fong (pers.comm.1990)

O.aurea Taiwan 1985 Lewis & Pring 1986

O.Hornorum Taiwan 1985 Lewis & Pring 1986

O.niloticus (Chitralada)

Thailand 1988 SPADP/FAO , File FIJ/6,1988

O.niloticus (GIFT )

Philippines

1997 author

Early ACIAR Projects 1990s: Barney Smith Era

• FIS/9206: Genetic improvement and stock identification of tilapia in Malaysia and Fiji (1993-1996),

• FIS/96/165: Genetic improvement of cultured tilapia and redclaw in Fiji and Australia (1997-2001),

Major outcomes

• Assessed if genetic diversity levels in Fijian Tilapia were adequate to support industry development

• Chitralada strain (introduced

in 1988 from Thailand) was identified as the best performing of 4 available tilapia stocks held in Fiji at the time

1st Experimental evaluation trials to assess relative strain productivity

• The ‘Chitralada’ O. niloticus strain was identified as the strain most likely to respond well to improvement in husbandry

• Broodstock & fry production systems

improved to assist local farmers • Capacity building in hatchery and grow-out

Macaranas et al. 1996. Aquaculture 150:11-24

2nd Experimental evaluation trials

GIFT vs Chitralada

• GIFT provided at least 19% growth advantage over the ‘Chitralada’ strain in both integrated & non-integrated farming systems.

• Fiji Fisheries replaced

Chitralada with GIFT.

• Dissemination of the GIFT led to a significant expansion of the local tilapia culture industry on the main islands of Fiji.

• Live sales of tilapia introduced in municipal markets

Key achievements 1-early ACIAR projects

Tilapia production in Fiji increased significantly from 1993. • Technologies developed to improve tilapia

production efficiency in Fiji.

• Average size of tilapia at harvest increased from around 140g (prior to 1993) to 180g and up to 220g over a shorter grow-out period.

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1990 1994

Ave

rage

sig

e (

g)

Year

Average size of tilapia at harvest(g) in Fiji

Key achievements 2

• Broodstock mgt & production improved. • Supply of fingerlings improved • stocking density increased:2 fingerling/m2 to

5 fingerlings /m2. • Staff & farmer understanding of tilapia

husbandry & production systems were improved. • Two new government hatcheries established • Fingerling supply and production outputs of

tilapia increased from 20mt (before 1993) to over 100mt annually by 1995.

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Pro

du

ctio

n (

mt)

Year

Growth in tilapia production in Fiji 1990-2001

0

5000

10000

15000

19

83

19

84

19

85

19

86

19

87

19

88

19

89

19

90

Weig

ht

(kg

)

Year

Source: Fiji Fisheries Annual report -1983-2001

Key achievements 3

– 1st large -scale integrated agriculture/aquaculture farm developed at Montfort Boystown, Suva.

– an industrial scale tilapia farm (8ha farm) developed by the Fiji government-FNU –fish farm.

– commercial production of local tilapia pellets by Crest Feedmills International for the local industry.

– A ‘Fish Farmers Association’ formed

FNU-fish farm

Monfort integrated fish farm

Naduruloulou Research Station

2nd Phase of ACIAR engagement in Pacific Aquaculture: Chris Barlow Era

• FIS/2005/108: Freshwater prawn aquaculture in the Pacific: Improving culture stock quality and nutrition in Fiji (2007-11),

• FIS/2008/031: An assessment of the extent of genetic introgression in exotic culture stocks of tilapia in the Pacific (2009-10),

• Series of mini projects: some examples, – Monoculture of the freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium lar, in Vanuatu

and integrated prawn-taro farming in Wallis & Futuna. ACIAR mini-project MS0402

– Eradication of Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus), restocking of Nile tilapia (O. niloticus) and improved aquaculture and management in Nauru. ACIAR mini-project MS0603,

– Experimental stocking and community management of tilapia in Lake Satoalepai, Samoa

– Development of commercial and farm-made feeds for tilapia and Macrobrachium in PNG and Fiji

FIS/2005/108: Freshwater prawn aquaculture in the Pacific: Improving culture stock quality

and nutrition in Fiji (2007-11)

New culture lines introduced from Asia for evaluation - stocks with high genetic variation were sourced from Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam for introduction to Fiji. - Genetic variation in the lines:

(Vietnam, Indonesia and Fiji were comparable but much higher than the Malaysian strain.

- 1,000 PLs of each strain (M, I, & V) were introduced to Fiji and quarantine completed to establish experimental broodstock for each line

Vietnam strain performed best under Fijian

culture conditions (growth & survival combined)

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

Vietnam Indonesia Malaysia Fiji

We

igh

t (g

)

GFP Strain

A

AB AB

B

Hurwood et al.2012. Aquaculture 1-12.

Over 15,000 Vietnam- strain broodstock were handed over to Fiji government to produce PLs for

the local industry

• Better growth rate and survival confirmed that the Vietnam strain performed best under Fijian conditions

Local Diet Development

Experimental diets were designed and tested in pond trials. Overall, diet 1 performed best. A local diet formulation was provided to Fiji’s Ministry of fisheries and Forests (MFF) staff.

Growth Experiment

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Initial 1 2 3 4

Time (months)

We

igh

t (g

)

Diet 1

Diet 2

CrestFeeds

PacificFeeds

Capacity building

Training workshops were conducted for government aquaculture staff in: • Broodstock management • Grow-out evaluation trials • Hatchery operation • Diet development and

evaluation • Pond design and

construction • MSc- Ms Shalini Singh &

Temalesi Koroi (MFF) sponsored by aciar/AusAID

Results

Post larvae supply improved Post larvae (PL) production more than doubled during the project. This addressed inconsistent and inadequate supply to farmers.

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

800,000

900,000

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

PL

Pro

du

ctio

n

Year

PL Production

Naduruloulou Research Station, Fiji.

Implementation of ACIAR project

Suggestions for next Phase of development of GFP farming in Pacific

Vietnam GFP strain in Fiji to provide current broodstock for region (except PNG)

Investigate environmental factors that contribute to large among-pond performance differences: pond size, pond shape, substrate, depth, shelter availability, feeding regime, aeration etc. to optimise stock performance.

Identify optimum parameters that support best growth and survival rates in small-scale and commercial scale productions systems.

Trial low-cost artificial local diets for GFP and other species Cost of tilapia pellet: US$0.67-0.85/kg & Prawn pellet US$0.91/kg as at 9 June 14. Selling price

tilapia (live) US$3.86-4.35/kg; freshwater prawns US$13.04-17.40/kg (frozen)

Trial local ingredients in feeds (separately in each target PICs)

Develop a broodstock management/supply systems that are independent of hatchery PL & fry production for grow-out. (quality vs quantity)

Capacity building for regional aquaculture technical staff Experimental design and analysis

Postgraduate (MSc) training for key staff

Evaluate option of introducing genetically improved GFP strain from Vietnam (G5)

Investigate polyculture options of key species (GFP, tilapia and carps)

FIS/2008/031- investigated causes for a reported decline in GIFT productivity in some PICs-2009-2011.

Results showed that:

– Genetic diversity had declined marginally in the GIFT stock compared with a GIFT reference stock available from Worldfish Centre.

– Little evidence was found for GIFT mixing with feral tilapia.

– Loss of genetic diversity most probably resulted from poor management of local stocks in the hatchery.

– Declines in genetic variation in the GIFT strain in Fiji was not considered to be of significant magnitude to affect long-term industry productivity.

FIS/2008/031 Recommendations 1

Fiji • no need for a new introduction of GIFT strain • focus on optimising hatchery, growout, extension practices and an industry development plan • management of broodstock quality and fingerling supply for growout should be separated into different facilities

PNG • new GIFT introduction was probably needed • GIFT broodstock should be replenished regularly • aquaculture staff should receive comprehensive training in broodstock management, fingerling production and best husbandry practices • develop quarantine system for aquatic introductions • consider introductions of alternative tilapia strains that satisfy local farm environments and that require less intensive management

FIS/2008/031 Recommendations 2

Samoa • do not recommend introduction of GIFT strain now as current practice is to stock fingerlings into wild habitats, GIFT has been bred for performance in culture environments not for wild release and requires close management (e.g. good feeds) to perform well • before using GIFT for pond culture, confirm that GIFT will out-perform (Samoan) Chitralada tilapia strain in local culture environments

Vanuatu • GIFT strain sourced from Fiji has diverged significantly (high frequency of O. aureus genes), suggests large bottleneck effect following introduction resulting from fry from only small number of families. Stock is still productive in wild but if pond culture is developed, recommend new introduction of GIFT from Fiji maximising family contributions.

Solomon Is. • Pacific feral O. mossambicus is very poor quality fish. Any future culture industry will require new introduction of appropriate O. niloticus or O. mossambicus strain after evaluation of local stock management capacity.

Factors contributing to the success of tilapia & FW prawn culture in PICs

• Cultural and socioeconomic – Low technical requirements (local knowledge & capacity

available) – Relatively low input systems – Fingerling/PL production can be centralised and quality

control managed by trained experts – Farmer’s can achieve positive outcomes from relatively

small farms (smallholder farms matches to land tenure systems of indigenous population)

Business-orientated approach to commercial prawn & tilapia farming

is evolving in indigenous communities/clans…small businesses in indigenous communities

Comparison between Fiji and Asian fish farming systems

• A question often posed, "Why isn't aquaculture as successful in PICs as it is in Asia?"

• The answer is………. • In Asia, market is enormous, with many people facing real protein/food

shortages. • The diet of Fijians and Pacific Islanders are changing, but no crisis. • Cultural systems differ where large –scale production is difficult in

PICs-largely due to land tenure issues. • freshwater availability increasingly problem - may become critical due

to climate change. • Technical expertise depauperate in Pacific Our generation expects quick results and forgets details such as

stable water supply is a critical component of successful fish farming

Major challenges facing tilapia & GFP culture expansion in Fiji & Pacific region

• Adapting culture requirements of tilapia and GFP to indigenous lifestyle.

• Determine what ‘we’ can do to help stimulate processes that lead to good outcomes.

• Critical aspects for tilapia & prawn husbandry are: – Knowledge of daily care process – Knowledge of available feed ingredients….access to equipment,

materials & supplies. – Continuous learning about innovative fish husbandry practices There is no single ‘best practice’ to bring about change. Indigenous communities tend to prefer gradual (social & economic) change. Lessons from experience inform that being a ‘local expert’ is not sufficient to bring about social and economic change. Local expert need to have some external exposure, stimulus and ability to demonstrate to merge local and external knowledge into a working local model

Major challenges continued…

• managing genetic quality of culture stocks over time

• improving culture performance.

Potential solutions

• Focus on identifying & resolving key factors leading to poor growth rates

• Identify improved and robust culture lines of key species for introduction

• Develop alternative and or cheap artificial diets.)

• Develop integrated aquaculture-agriculture farming systems

• Develop market chains/systems for key species.

Government policies

• The most successful policy approach to lifting indigenous wantoks out of extreme disadvantage has been where indigenous people have drawn on their customary practices and knowledge, often linked directly or indirectly to their natural resources to produce a product or to create a

marketable service.

-So design & develop aquaculture systems that meet indigenous lifestyle and cultural systems

Research outcomes leading into developments

• Development of new multispecies hatchery (Tilapia & Freshwater prawn) investment of $1.7m by Fiji government – Over 300 farmers engaged in freshwater prawn and tilapia culture in Fiji

• Development of new Multispecies hatchery (Tilapia and freshwater prawn by Vanuatu government

Fiji National University-Aquaculture farm

Future action

• Is the prawn/tilapia industry in harmony with the local lifestyles & skills of indigenous people?

• Is the coordination & communication across the aquaculture industry at an acceptable level?

• There is need for our contribution of skills, resources, & knowledge to overcome challenges faced by indigenous people in small aquaculture businesses

All future actions be based on government programs for a better implementation & control (planning & decision-making) of all resources in order to avoid past shortcomings.

Acknowledgments

• Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) – Barney Smith – Chris Barlow – Geoff Allan

• Fiji’s Ministry of Fisheries • Traditional Landowners: Naduruloulou Research

Station • Queensland University of Technology • ICLARM, FAO, SPC, JICA, USA Peace Corp • Traditional land owners

Acknowledgments

Thank you Peter

Thank you Australia