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1. AQD
launches seabass project in Guimbal, Iloilo
Seabass
seems to be the "it" commodity in 2006, being highly
requested from Pandan to Hamtic in Antique, to the Capiz
provincial government, and now by Guimbal in Iloilo.
A
project on Net cage culture of seabass in ponds was
launched Nov 15 in SEAFDE/AQD's nearest town neighborhood of
Guimbal.
The
project aims to build the skills and capacity of Guimbal local
government staff and other aquaculturists in undertaking
sustainable aquaculture.
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For
the launching, a ceremonial stocking of 1,000 seabass hatchery-reared fry for
each of the four cages was led by Hon. Oscar Garin, President Arroyo's
Presidential Assistant for Agriculture-Visayas and chair of the Philippine
Coconut Authority.
"This
project will prove that seabass can be cultured in freshwater," Hon. Garin
says, "contrary to the common notion that it can only be for brackishwater.
"This
is a big break for freshwater fish growers, and I thank AQD for choosing the
Garin Farm as a demo farm. Now, many visitors can see for themselves the
positive results of studies conducted by AQD.
The
project will be for one year, and will cover 2 runs of the 4-month seabass
culture period.
"SEAFDEC
is not only for experiments but for R&D that
will benefit the people," he further says. |
| FROM
LEFT Totong
Gaitan (co-proponent of the seabass verification
project), Hon. Garin, Atty Jerry Opinion, Benito
Geolamin (Vice-Mayor of Guimbal), Antonio Sumido
(Committee on Agriculture of the Sanguniang Bayan),
Lorenzo Genodepa (Municipal Agriculturist), and Samson
Gilo Jr. (Agricultural Technologist - Fisheries and OIC
of the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources
Office) |
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"Usually, people who don't understand or are not aware of SEAFDEC's importance will get the impression that the institution benefits only
the big companies and other countries.
"As
GMA's Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, I can say with confidence that the
SEAFDEC benefits are for the common tao or the masses, too.
"It
is my hope that this demo will convince a lot of fish farmers to produce bulgan
in freshwater. Seabass culture is a significant solution to the problem of
economic (underdevelopment in some areas). Farmers can produce corn in their
land, and seabass in their (water areas)."
The
project proper will start with an on-site, hands-on training to be scheduled as
soon as the Guimbal LGU can gather its participants together. Expected attendees
are farm caretakers, laborers and other interested residents.
The
training site ~ two ponds to be equipped with 4 nursery cages and 8 grow-out
cages ~ will then become a demonstration farm for AQD's seabass culture
technology.
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2.
Four
glimpses of biotech at work
HISTAMINE
TRAINING. Personnel
of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR central office and the
regional offices) trained on histamine analysis from Sept 25 to 30. They were
joined by participants from the private sector and SEAFDEC/AQD.
The
training was a joint activity of SEAFDEC Marine Fisheries Research Department (AQD's
sister department in Singapore), Fish Inspection and Quality Control-Thailand,
and BFAR. The venue was the Feed Technology Laboratory I of the biotech
facilities in AQD's Tigbauan Main Station, Iloilo.
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The
trainors came from Singapore (Ms. Saw Huigi and Ms Ong Wei Ying on the
HPLC method) and Thailand (Ms. Jariya Pucharoen on the fluorometric
method).
The
AQD Chief Dr. Joebert Toledo welcomed the 13 participants and the
trainors, noting that histamine analysis is important to the fish trade
of Southeast Asia. Though naturally-occuring, histamine levels are
strictly regulated in fish and fishery products (pastes and sauces)
entering the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the European
Union.
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The
Chief thanked the Government of Japan Trust Fund for supporting the week-long
course under the program SEAFDEC Fish and Fish
Product Safety Information Network.
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VIRUS
IDENTIFICATION. At
the molecular microbiology laboratory, one of the four labs at the
biotech facility at AQD, research associate Chris Sombito loads DNA
samples from shrimp for amplification using Real-Time PCR (Polymerase
Chain Reaction) machine to detect white spot syndrome virus. |
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| ON THE
TRAIL OF BACTERIA.
The high-powered scanning
electron microscope (SEM) at the biotech facility within AQD can
theoretically magnify up to 300,000 times. But so far, the SEM was
tested up to 30,000 times. It is used for morphological examination or
surface details of cells.
Using SEM,
researcher Ms. Rovilla Luhan has recently isolated
"ice-ice"-associated bacteria from infected seaweed. Further
tests would show if these bacteria are pathogenic or not. |
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ALGAL
BIOTECH CONFERENCE. The
Asia-Pacific Society for Applied Phycology held its triÂ
Âennial Asia
Pacific Conference on Algal Biotechnology at the Dusit Hotel Nikko
in Makati from October 12 to 15. The theme of the 6th APCAB was
"Harnessing indigenous algal biotechnology for economic
development."
The
Conference was opened by UPLB Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco and APSAP
President Dr. Song Qin.
Dr.
Milagros Martinez-Goss of UPLB and Dr. Song Qin were the co-chairs of
the international organizing committee. AQD Chief Dr. Joebert Toledo
served as a senior advisor of the local organizing committee while AQD
researchers Dr. Anicia Hurtado and Ms. Milagros dela Pena served as
members. |
Dr. Hurtado
presented two papers: The seaweed program of IFC-PEP Philippines and Plantlet
regeneration of Kappaphycus alvarezii var. adik-adik (Rhodophyta) by
tissue culture.
Ms. dela
Pena presented one: Cell growth and nutritive value of the tropical benthic
diatom Amphora sp. at varying nutrients, light intensity and
location of culture."
Dr. Susana
Baldia, former AQD researcher, presented the results of her studies conducted
and co-authored with BFS researchers: Studies on the growth physiology of Microcystis
aeruginosa (Cyanobacteria) isolated from Laguna de Bay.
AQD
provided grants to ten deserving students from ASEAN in the form of free
registration fees of US$150 each.
The
students were from UP-Diliman, UP-MSI, UPLB, Ateneo de Manila University, Bureau
of Postharvest Research and Extension, University of Malaya, Universiti Putra
Malaysia, and Chiang Mai University.
The
students' research topics range from isolating a carrageenase enzyme and
identifying molecular sex markers for Gracilaria changii to phytoplankton
succession in ponds and bioremediation.
3. Lee
and Sarah: students from Wales working on mudcrab
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Two
students from the University of Wales Bangor, Lee Hother-Parkes and Sarah
Meakin, conducted their MSc thesis on mud crabs at AQD from June to
September 2006. In the past years, MSc and PhD students from the same
university have conducted their research studies at AQD as part of the
Culture and Management of Scylla spp. (CAMS) Project under the
European Union-INCO Development Program under the supervision of Dr. JH
Primavera, Dr.ETQuinitioand Dr. VRAlava. Sarah worked on "Interspecific
aggression in Scylla spp.", while Lee conducted a study on
"Differences between hatchery-reared and wild Scylla serrata
". Dr. Quinitio was the co-adviser. Their research results
provide useful information for culture activities and stock enhancement
strategies on mud crab.
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4.
A visitor from Ishigaki, Japan
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The
Ishigaki Tropical Station of the Fisheries Agency in Japan is seeking to
collaborate with AQD on programs of mutual interest (such as on mudcrab,
grouper and sea cucumber).
AQD
was honored with a visit by its Associate Director for Research, Dr.
Katsuhiro Kiso, on October 26 for exploratory talks.
Dr.
Kiso toured AQD and also gave a seminar titled Habitat
utilization of 11 species of emperor fishes for feeding in the coral
reefs around Yaeyama Islands in southern Japan. |
5. Internet
learners on Aquatic Animal Health
E-learners
from as far away as England (Mr. Neil Wendover), Mexico (Dr. Jorge
Galindo-Villegas) and Panama (Dr. Jorge Cuellar-Anjel) are paying their way in
the fifth session of the internet-based Principles of health management in
aquaculture. The online training course started September 4, and will end in
January next year.
There are
16 participants (9 males and 7 females) in all, 10 from SEAFDEC member countries
who have Government of Japan (GOJ) fellowships and 6 from the private sector
including the three mentioned above.
The GOJ
fellows come from Brunei (Ms. Hajijah Mohd. Said), Cambodia (Mr. Em Samy),
Indonesia (Ms. Anik Wijayati), Malaysia (Noraishah Bt. Hashim), Myanmar (Ms.
Shoon Lai Ko Ko), Philippines (Ms. Ma. Josephine Dano and Mr. Rogelio Noble,
Jr.), Singapore (Mr. Neo Chin Heng), Thailand (Ms.Namabhorn Songsakul), and
Vietnam (Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung).
The rest of
the paying private sector group is from the Philippines (Ms. Jennette de Pedro-Tillo,
Mr. Manny Orongan, and Mr. Jose Urbano, Jr.).
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There
are 12 modules in AquaHealth Online and these are taught by the following:
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Impact
of disease development in Aquaculture (Dr. Celia Torres)
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Viral
diseases of fish and crustaceans (Dr. GildaLio-Po)
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Bacterial
diseases of fish and crustaceans (Eleanor Tendencia)
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Fungal
diseases of fish and crustaceans (Dr. Elena Catap)
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Parasitic
diseases of fish and crustaceans (Dr. Melba Reantaso)
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Nutritional
diseases of fish and crustaceans (Dr. Edgar Amar)
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Environmental
and other non-infectious diseases of fish and crustaceans (E Tendencia)
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Harmful
and toxic algae (Dr. Romeo Caturao)
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Histology
as a tool in disease diagnosis (Dr. C Torres)
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Serological
and molecular techniques in disease diagnosis
(Dr.
Leobert dela Pena)
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Immunity
and biological methods of diseases prevention and control (Dr. E Amar)
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Physical,
environmental and chemical methods of disease prevention and control (E
Tendencia)
The
participants will be graded for each module as follows: learning activities,
20%; discussion board participation, 20%; and examination, 60%.
Course
officer of AquaHealth-Online is Eleanor Tendencia.
6. New
abalone and mudcrab hatchery entrepreneurs
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There
were 14 trainees
from different Asian countries who attended the 2006 second batch of the
3-week Abalone hatchery seed production and culture course.
Deputy
Chief Dr. Koichi Okuzawa welcomed them on Nov 9 at TMS, saying that
abalone is a promising commodity.
Further,
he sympathized with the trainees who have difficulty communicating in
English, but told them not to worry because, as he himself experienced,
Filipinos are very hospitable.
Nine
of the trainees had GOJ fellowships, two were sponsored by their
government (Sabah), and the other three were from the private sector. |
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Mudcrab,
on the other hand, was the commodity of interest of the Polytechnic
State College of Antique ~
"Tibiao, Antique campus.
Under
the recently signed agreement with SEAFDEC/AQD, an on-site course on
crab culture was conducted Nov 21-24 in Tibiao. |
Invited
lecturers or instructors included Dr. ET Quinitio on biology of Scylla spp.;
Avelino Trino, a former AQD researcher, on the culture aspects; and Butch Juanga
for the installation of peripheral net enclosures (with Trino). TID Head RF
Agbayani also lectured on responsible aquaculture and its role in coastal
resource management.
On
the last day, trainees stocked hatchery-reared mudcrab juveniles in Brgy.
Jinalinan, Barbaza, Antique.
7. Progress
in the Antique "dream" project
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Progress in the Antique project included a second hands-on training on
seabass and seaweed culture, this time at Mag-aba Beach House in Pandan from 20
to 22 Sept. A total of 18 participants (two are women) represented the three
municipalities of Pandan, Sebaste and Libertad. Of the 18,12 were coop members,
2 municipal FARMC chairs, 2 agri technicians, a municipal agri officer, and a
fish warden.
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Mayor Plaridel Sanchez opened the activities. The resource
persons were Mr. Albert Gaitan and Mr. Salvador Tan who lectured on biology +
culture, and conducted the seabass cage-making sessions, respectively; Dr. Anne
Hurtado on seaweeds; Ms. Kaylin Corre who shared her recent Indonesian
experiences; and Mr. Sonny Pagador who discussed the seabass module in Hamtic.
On the last day of the onsite training, the floating net
cages the trainees made were put into the Bugang River after which 1,600 pieces
of seabass from AQD's Tigbauan hatcheries were stocked.
8.
AQD
joins business expo; AgriLink exhibit
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AQD
was invited to join the Techno Negosyo Expo held at the World
Trade Center on 14-15 September 2006 by Mr. Jose Ma. Concepcion III,
President of the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship.
The
invitation was the result of the participation of Dr. Aisa Salayo, Dr.
Weng Eguia and Dr. Malou Aralar in a series of Business Concept Fora sponsored
by the Department of Science and
Technology (DOST) and the Philippine Emerging Startups Open (PESO).
These
fora consisted of lectures and presentations on how to conceptualize and
develop a business package, particularly for new emerging technologies. |
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The
participants were expected to present their own institution's business concept.
Thus, the ABOT-AquaNegosyo Business Package was born. ABOT stands for
agree-build-operate-transfer.
ABOT
is AQD's version of a business plan submitted as part of the requirement in the
fora. It has been critiqued and commented upon by fora participants.
Improvements in the concept was later made.
DOST
Undersecretary Dr. Lourdes Orijola who was at the fora encouraged AQD's
participation at the TechnoNegosyo Fair and negotiated for DOST to host the AQD
booth at the fair.
Barely a
month after the expo, on Oct 5 to 7, AQD was again at the World Trade Center in
Manila.
The event
was the 13th International Agribusiness Exhibition and Seminar (AGRILINK),
the 7th International Food Processing, Packaging and Products Exhibition (FOODLINK)
and the 2nd National Fisheries Exhibition and Seminars (AQUALINK).
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AQD
Chief Dr. Joebert Toledo responds to queries from aquaculture
enthusiasts as Atty. Opinion and Dr. Salayo listen |
The
theme of this year's event was "Genetics: Vital to Agribussiness
Competitiveness."
DA Sec.
Domingo Panganiban, Sen. Edgardo Angara, the Dutch and French Ambassadors led
the opening of the exhibit and fair.
The AQD
booth was one of the most popular. On-the-spot consultations with aquaculture
enthusiasts were held there.
AQD
researchers Dr. Aisa Salayo, Dr. Weng Eguia, Mr. Ruel Eguia, Mr. Manny Laron,
Ms. Tonette Evangelista and Dr. Malou Aralar took turns in manning the booth.
AQD Chief
Dr. Joebert Toledo was also on hand on the opening day to respond to queries on
the culture of marine fish.
AQD
publications sold briskly. The aquaria displaying samples of giant freshwater
prawn, Nile and Red tilapia drew the attention of even non-aquaculture
enthusiasts.
Powerpoint
presentations on various AQD technologies was played continuously and served as
visual aids for the various impromptu consultations.
The
recently launched ABOT AquaNegosyo scheme drew a lot of potential entrepreneurs.
So expect more aquaculture entrepreneurs flocking to the office of Dr. Salayo at
MO eager to take part in the ABOT AquaNegosyo Business Package.
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