SEAFDEC/AQD Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center | Aquaculture Department
SEAFDEC/AQD, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) Region 6 and the local government of Mina, launched a tilapia–prawn polyculture project in Mina, Iloilo, Philippines, on 16 December 2025.
A total of 15,000 tilapia fry, with an average body weight (ABW) of 0.24 grams and a mean total length (MTL) of 2.54 centimeters were sourced from the Iloilo Provincial Agriculture Office in Pototan, Iloilo and stocked in nine earthen ponds.
Another 15,000 juveniles of giant freshwater prawn, locally known as “ulang,” with an ABW of 2.02 grams and a MTL of 5.75 centimeters, sourced from the SEAFDEC/AQD Tigbauan Main Station in Iloilo, were stocked together with the tilapia.
In this polyculture system, tilapia and prawn are complementary aquaculture species that may be grown in the same compartments at the same time to maximize space and yield.
On the same day, SEAFDEC/AQD technical staff taught four fish farmers on feeding management, such as feeding frequency and rate, and weight of feed per day.
The activity is part of two priority programs of SEAFDEC/AQD which are the Joint Mission on Accelerated National Techno-Transfer Program (JMANTTP II) and Meeting Social and Economic Challenges in Aquaculture Program (MSECAP).
Prior to this, SEAFDEC/AQD successful concluded a similar tilapia-ulang polyculture project in Brgy. Nanga, Pototan, Iloilo, which ran from April to September 2025.
“The polyculture of ulang and tilapia underscores our commitment to securing food and income through sustainable aquaculture and strong stakeholder collaboration,” said SEAFDEC/AQD Chief Dan Baliao.
Accelerating techno-transfer, according to the Chief, will help improve livelihoods and contribute to uplifting local economies.
