White shrimp summit set on May 8-9 at NFRDI
THE Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei takes center stage on May 8-9 when the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) hosts a summit highlighting the Philippine experience on the species.
Dr. Westly Rosario, NFRDI interim executive director and chief of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Dagupan, said this is the first white shrimp summit to be held in Luzon following similar events in the Visayas and Mindanao.
In an interview with The PUNCH, Rosario said Luzon has the highest level of production even when research surveys indicate there is only a five percent average survival rate at harvest.
“It means that if we educate the farmers technically by conducting activities like the summit, it is not impossible to double the total production in Luzon by increasing the survival rate from five to 10 percent,” he said.
This will be the first summit that will utilize local experiences to directly address problems in the industry.
Expected to attend are shrimp farmers and those interested in starting a white shrimp business, which Rosario said is very lucrative.
Presentors and technical panelists during the summit will include local hatchery and grow out farmers who will talk about their own experiences.
Intensive, semi- intensive and extensive culture systems will be tackled as well as best aquaculture practices.
LABORATORY
Meanwhile, the new aquatic animal health laboratory has also been scheduled for formal inauguration ceremonies during the summit.
The laboratory has facilities that can identify viral diseases through DNA (deoxyribo nucleic acid) testing to help avoid potential disasters within the aquaculture industry.
“It will be used by NFRDI for research and in continuous monitoring of breeders being imported and field monitoring of hatcheries and grow out so we will not be caught unaware when there are disease incidences or epizootics or epidemics,” Rosario said.
The laboratory will also be open to farmers who want to check if the fry being purchased is infected. #
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