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Project Record

Objectives:

To develop sustained freshwater fish culture through improved approaches to seed production, based on the identified constraints in output, quality and supply.

Background:

The project aims to address the problem of poor quality fish seed, particularly of carp and tilapia, and its negative impact on smalholder fish culture. The nature of the problem appears to be both situation and species specific: farmers in Bangladesh may find over-wintered or hatchery carp fry perform poorly compared to new season or wild captured seed, respectively. Farmers raising tilapia in Thailand may find deterioration in quality over time. In all countries the importance of minor carps and wild swamp fish species within stocked culture systems will be assessed. Variability in the performance of stocked seed can make returns, both financial and nutritional, unpredictable, reducing the attraction and value of aquaculture to resource-poor farmers.

Intended Outputs:

A comparative analysis of the major constraints to seed fish availability and quality in four areas of Asia (Thailand, Laos PDR, Vietnam and Bangladesh).

Project findings, preliminary guidelines on seed quality, and management of seed production and delivery presented in reports and workshops, for use by researchers, planners in partner institutions, and policy makers, hatchery and nursery operators, seed traders and farmers.

A project memorandum for the second phase, based on targetted research and around on-farm trials managed by linked institutions.

Progress and Impact:

1. Comparative analysis of the major constraints to seed fish availability and quality in four areas of Asia (Thailand, Lao PDR, Vietnam and Bangladesh).

2. Project findings, preliminary guidelines on seed quality, and management of seed production and delivery presented in reports and workshops for use by researchers, planners in partner institutions and policy makers, hatchery and nursery operators, seed traders and farmers.

3. A project memorandum for the second phase, based on targetted research and around on-farm trials managed by linked institutions.

4. Improved understanding of the existing knowledge systems of the private hatchery operators cooperatives, especially the locally-based institutional support structures.

5. Development of a participatory methodology, which will allow stakeholders to effect a continuous improvement in the quality of fish, seed available in the seed supply system of Northeast Thailand.

Outputs 1-3 were the original outputs specified in the project and 4-5 developed as an extension to the project.

The outputs have been achieved and additional Programme development support has allowed the research team to further contribute outputs to this Programme theme.

Project Conclusions:

Knowledge about the mechanisms of how fish seed availability affects poor people's benefits from aquatic resources is limiting and has been a serious impediment to appropriate pro-poor policy development and implementation. The outputs of this project have filled this void with respect to some important knowledge gaps and have practical impacts at grass root levels in at least two areas of Asia.

General Notes:

See also the TECA Record A manual of silver barb seed production.

Publications:

MacNiven A.M. and Little D.C. (2001) Development and evaluation of a stress challenge testing methodology for assessment of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, Linn.) fry quality. Aquaculture Research, 32, 671-679.



Little, D.C. and Innes Taylor, N. (2002) Fry nursing in rice-fish systems. pp.139-141 In: Integrated agriculture-aquaculture. A Primer. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper 407. FAO, Rome.



Little, D.C., Satapornvanit, A. and Edwards, P. (2001) Freshwater fish seed in Asia. pp.185-196. In: Rural Aquaculture (Edwards, Little and Demaine eds). CABI Publishing, Wallingford,UK.



Barman, B., Little, D.C. and Edwards, P. (2001) Small-scale fish culture in Northwest Bangladesh: a participatory appraisal focusing on the role of tilapia. pp.227-244. In: Rural Aquaculture (Edwards, Little and Demaine eds). CABI Publishing, Wallingford,UK.



Hossain, M.A., Little, D. C. and Bhujel, R. C. (2003). Nursing duration and pond fertilisaton level affect polycultures Indian major carps (rohu Labeo rohita and mrigal, Cirrhina mrigala) with monosex Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Aquaculture Research 34 (9) 765-775



Little, D.C, Bhujel, R.C. and Pham, T.A. (2002). Advanced nursing of mixed sex and monosex tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fry, and its impact on subsequent growth in fertilised ponds. Aquaculture 221, 265-276



Little, D.C. (2001). Freshwater Fish Seed - Movement of Technology and Knowledge Driven Aquaculture Development. AARM newsletter 6:4, 5-6



MacNiven, A. (2001). Current activities of the Fish Seed Quality Project. AARM Newsletter 6:4, 22-23



Milwain, G., Immink, A., Kundu, N. & Little D.C. (2002) Fish seed production and distribution in West Bengal



Sittirach, N. & Sangkaew, S. (2002) Forum for Hatchery Operators Newsletter. 200 copies were printed and distributed by post to all the hatchery operators who are members of the Surin Fishery Cooperative, the remainder were delivered for free distribution to the main aquaculture input supply shops, the DoF station and Rajamangala Institute Fishery Department.



MacNiven, A.M., Sangkaew, S., Sittirach, N. & Veerachantachart, N. (2002) Report of research findings related to the operation and function of Surin Fisheries Cooperative: A participatory consultation with co-operative members and local government officers (in Thai). A summary of the main findings in this report was presented on 3 posters, at a special meeting of co-op members on the 8th February 2002



Little, D.C. and MacNiven, A.M. (2001) Workshop report. 'Improving freshwater fish seed supply and performance in smallholder aquaculture systems' AIT Centre, Pathumthani, Thailand 5th - 7th June 2001. Distributed to all workshop participants by email.



Sangkaew, S, Sithirach, N and MacNiven, A. M. (2002) Forum for Hatchery Operators. Volume 1 (3). Pathumthani, Thailand, Asian Institute of Technology (in Thai)



Sangkaew, S, Sithirach, N and MacNiven, A. M. (2002) Forum for Hatchery Operators. Volume 1 (2) Pathumthani, Thailand, Asian Institute of Technology (in Thai)



Little, D.C. and P. Edwards, 2004. Impact of nutrition and season on pond culture performance of mono-sex and mixed-sex Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Aquaculture 232, 279-292.



Little, D.C., K. Coward, R.C Bhujel, T.A.Pham, N.R.Bromage. 2003. An investigation into the potential effects of water quality changes induced by broodfish exchange and conditioning on the reproductive performance of Oreochromis niloticus (L.) held in nylon hapas. J. Aqua. Trop. 18 (3), 245 - 256.



Bhujel, R.C, W. A Turner, A. Yakupityage, D.C.Little. 2001. Impacts of environmental manipulation on he reproductive performance of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).J. Aqua. Trop 16 (3)197-209



Dan, N.C and D.C.Little. 2000. The culture performance of monosex and mixed sex new season and over-wintered fry in two strains on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in northern Vietnam. Aquaculture 184. 3-4. 221-231



Little, D.C. Coward. K., R.C. Bhujel, T.A. Pham and N.R. Bromage. 2000. Effect of broodfish exchange strategy on the spawning performance and sex steroid levels of Oreochromis niloticus broodfish in hapas. Aquaculture 186, 1-2, 77-88.



Dan, N.C. and D.C. Little. 2000. Over-wintering performance of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus (L.) broodfish and seed at ambient temperatures in northern Vietnam. Aquaculture Research, 31, 6, 485-493.



AIT/DOF. 2001. Fish seed quality in Northwest Bangladesh. State of the System report. Aquaculture Outreach Programme, AIT, Bangkok. 37pp.



AIT/RIA1, 2000. Fish seed quality in Northern Vietnam. State of the System report. Aquaculture Outreach Programme, AIT, Bangkok. 23pp.



AIT/DOF 1. 2000. Fish seed quality in Northeast Thailand. State of the System report. Aquaculture Outreach Programme, AIT, Bangkok. 31pp.



Little, D.C., Tuan, P.A. and B.K.Barman. 2002. Health management issues in freshwater hatcheries, nurseries and fry distribution, with emphasis on experiences in Viet Nam and Bangladesh. p.141-146. In Primary aquatic animal health care in rural small-scale, aquaculture development. FAO Fisheries technical Paper 406, FAO, Rome



AIT/CAF, 2000. Fish seed quality in Southern Vietnam. State of the System report. Aquaculture Outreach Programme, AIT, Bangkok. 28pp.



Edwards, P., D.C.Little and H.Demaine. 2002. Issues in rural aquaculture. p.323-340. In Rural Aquaculture. CABI Publishing, Wallingford.



Little, D.C. and G. Hulata. 2000. Strategies for tilapia seed production. p. 267-326. In Tilapias: Biology and Exploitation. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Fish and Fisheries Series 25. Dordrecht



Huy, H.P.V, A.MAcNIven, N.V. Tu, R.C. Bhujel and D.C.Little. 2004. Tilapia seed production in Ho Chi Minh City, Southern Vietnam. Aquaculture Asia, October-December 2003. Vol VIII No4 pp23-25



Immink, A., Dautta, G, Kumar, B. and D.C.Little. 2001. Fry supply across West Bengal. Aquaculture News, 26 13-14.



Haitook, T. S. Kosy and D.C.Little. 1999. New approaches to fish seed supply. Appropriate Technology. 25, 26-28.



Little, D.C. 1999. Seed quality becomes an issue for fish farmers in Asia. AARM Newsletter, 3, (3), 10-11.



Little, D.C, Golder, I and B. Barman. 1999. Rice field-based fish seed production - understanding and improving a poverty-focussed approach to the promotion of aquaculture in Bangladesh. AARM Newsletter, 4, (2), 7-10.



Little, D.C. and Pham, T.A 1999 Common carp indigenous ricefield-based culture in Northern Vietnam. AARM Newsletter, 4, (3), 4-5.

Paper File Reference:

NRD 9800 522/792/001