Integrated Approach Needed for Sector
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 04
November 2008,
Tuesday - Efforts are being made to set businesses based on renewable
resources and expand the aquaculture sector in Brunei. However there are
issues which still remain as obstacles to attain these goals.
These issues were highlighted yesterday by Dr Ronald Hardy, professor
and director of Aquaculture Research Centre, University of Idaho, on the
first day of the International Workshop on Shrimp Nutrition.
In his presentation titled "Current Issues in Aqua Feed Sector" Dr Hardy
said, "Aqua feeds have always contained plant proteins which help to
maintain protein level in feeds and add specific nutrients or compounds.
It is relatively easy to supply up to half of dietary protein from plant
proteins and maintain fish performance or health.
"Given the finite global supply of fishmeal and predicted growth of
aquaculture in the future, we all assume that there will be less
fishmeal and more plant proteins in the future aqua feeds," he said on
aqua feed protein sources.
He pointed out that "thirty years ago, less than 10 per cent of the
global fishmeal was used in aqua feeds and in 2007, over 60 per cent was
used. At some point in the future, the demand for fishmeal in aqua feeds
exceeds production. The main concern is that the supplies of fishmeal
potentially will limit the growth of aquaculture (aqua feeds) and price
of fishmeal will increase with the growing demand."
He also said that the current situation shows that the global demand for
grains has altered expectations for an orderly transition to plant-based
aquafeeds. "Investment in technologies and factories to produce
alternate proteins are stalled by uncertainty plus economic issues.
Transition from fishmeal to alternatives will continue but how and with
what alternatives are unclear."
The next speaker, was Dr George W Chamberlain who talked about the
"Overview of the Integrated Aquaculture International (IAI) programme in
Brunei".
Dr Chamberlain said that IAI and Brunei's Department of Fisheries have
undertaken a three-year renewable project to improve the efficiency of
Brunei's aquaculture.
The project also aimed to improve profitability by producing large sizes
of black tiger shrimp for premium export. "Brunei has a pristine
environment with good infrastructure and has fewer environmental
pressures compare to other countries. The only disadvantages Brunei
faced is the small business with few economies of scale, high labour
cost and high cost of raw materials," he said.
Integrated approaches that encompassed the spheres of health, breeding,
nutrition, management and marketing and processing are needed to expand
the aquaculture sector, he added.
"There are 15 new ponds being built to test the new designs. The Telisai
Phase 2 is planned to be expanded on the 220 ha site provided," he said
He also stated that Brunei has carried out workshops, own various useful
and good facilities as well as hands-on laboratories to improve the
aquaculture sector in the future.
- Courtesy of
the Brunei Times -
