Early visitors at AQD

A few weeks into the new year, SEAFDEC/AQD already had visitors from Maldives, Norway, and the Philippines.

On 18 January, Dr. Asree Shaheem and Mr. Ahmed Shaheem of Maldives visited AQD to seek technical assistance and to gather information about sea cucumber culture. They also went to see AQD’s facilities at Tigbauan, Iloilo particularly the hatchery of sandfish (Holothuria scabra), a sea cucumber species being studied at AQD.

Moreover, a tour of AQD research facilities in Tigbauan and Dumangas (Iloilo) and Igang (Guimaras) from 10 to 12 January was requested by RAISED (Romblon Agricultural Improvement for Sustainable Economic Development) in Romblon, Philippines. In addition to the tour, Mr. Artemio Mayote, project manager of RAISED was also briefed about AQD’s research activities on abalone culture and grouper nursery culture.

AQD also has a visitor from the academe – Mr. Carlo Lazado of the University of Nordland, Bodø, Norway – who presented the results of his study Next-generation sequencing of miRNAs in Atlantic cod on 12 January.