Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Lake ecology AQUACULTURE DEPARTMENT How to get there www.seafdec.org.ph Ecological research such as the biological control of Microcystis algae have been conducted. BFS is located at Tapao Point, The Rinconada lakes project (2006-2009) , . From Pritil Port in in Camarines Sur with funds from Australian Binangonan, visitors travel by boat to Center for International Agriculture Research BFS. Public boat leaves the port every (ACIAR) was designed to assist the integration hour from 6:30 am until 8:00 pm daily. An AQD boat service is also available Binangonan and implementation phase of ecosystem-based daily leaving the port at 7:30 am. sustainable management plans for the Rinconada lake system in the Bicol Region. In 2012, an initial trial of the Cage aquaculture decision support tool (CADS Tool) has been done for Lake Bato and other lakes. This Binangonan Public Market Freshwater tool is designed to help cage aquaculture managers optimise their choice of sites for Binangonan Freshwater Station placement of cages. Pritil Binangonan Station Training and extension To disseminate the technologies developed and verified by the station, BFS Dumangas Brackishwater Station takes an active part in the Department’s training programs: Tigbauan Main Station • Training course on freshwater aquaculture for local participants Igang Marine Station and representatives from SEAFDEC member countries

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• On-the-job training for undergraduate students SEAFDEC/AQD - BFS • Internship training for college graduates • Special training arranged for foreign and local participants • Graduate student thesis program About SEAFDEC For further information BFS also established partnerships with other institutions and private investors THE CHIEF to assist them in freshwater aquaculture from site selection, construction of The Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) is an autonomous intergovernmental SEAFDEC/AQD facilities, production run to harvest. body established as a regional treaty organization in Tigbauan 5021, Iloilo, December 1967 to promote fisheries development in Trunklines connecting all offices: the region through research, training and information +63 33 330 7001 services. Its Member Countries include Brunei Fax: +63 33 330 7002 Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Email: [email protected] Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam. Binangonan Freshwater Station The Aquaculture Department (AQD), one of Tapao Point, Binangonan 1903 SEAFDEC’s five departments, is mandated to Rizal, Philippines implement programs in research, technology verification Tel: +63 2 219 2696 and demonstration, and training and information Mobile: +63 917-5807082 dissemination in order to promote responsible Email: [email protected] aquaculture in Southeast Asia.

www.seafdec.org.ph Copyright © August 2017 SEAFDEC/AQD The Binangonan Freshwater Station (BFS) of SEAFDEC Aquaculture Tilapia Department is strategically located in Tapao point along the north shore Research accomplishments of de Bay. BFS and priorities The station introduced the lake-based culture of tilapia in and promoted the was established in 1976 SEAFDEC/AQD’s research studies at BFS focus on bighead carp (Aristichthys farming of hybrid red tilapia. The technology for to undertake research on nobilis), catfish Clarias( macrocephalus), tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), giant modular system of tilapia culture in lake-based freshwater aquaculture and freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) and indigenous freshwater species. net cages and freshwater dam/reservoir have lake ecology. It also offers Other researches conducted at the station include the propagation of natural been verified and are now promoted for adoption food and development of feeds for freshwater species, as well as water quality extension services and by fishfarmers. Studies on genetic variation monitoring of freshwater lakes. trainings on fish farming in among Nile tilapia strains have also been pens, ponds, tanks, and conducted. BFS also developed a method for selecting broodstock that small- cages. Aerial photos by Chad Aralar Bighead carp scale farmers can use. BFS pioneered the research and development of the BFS facilities culture and artificial propagation of bighead carp in Indigenous freshwater species the Philippines, particularly in Laguna Lake where it BFS started to conduct research is a significant aquaculture commodity. The station on the breeding and larval rearing also conducts training courses on the breeding and methods for several indigenous farming of bighead carp. BFS’s work on bighead freshwater species that have carp includes refinement of broodstock and nursery aquaculture potential. Recent work technology for the commercial production of its on indigenous freshwater prawn fingerlings in cages in Laguna de Bay. (Macrobrachium lar) focuses on the domestication and evaluation Macrobrachium lar laboratory natural food laboratory Catfish of its potential for culture. For silver therapon (Leiopotherapon BFS research activities on native catfish focused plumbeus) artificial spawning and on the development of broodstock management, larval rearing are being conducted. breeding, hatchery, and nursery techniques. The reproductive biology of the Silver therapon Recent research on catfish includes verification climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) of the grow-out culture in net cages in Laguna de is also being studied in the station. Bay. land-based tanks lake-based cages Natural food and feed development Giant freshwater prawn BFS evaluates and selects alternative live Several studies were done on the feed as replacement for Artemia for larval domestication and improvement of rearing of freshwater fish. In addition, local stocks of giant freshwater prawn evaluation of nutrient requirements for (GFP). Likewise, development of its mass production of freshwater microalgae hatchery dormitory/housing farming techniques suitable for lake and development of low-cost formulated conditions was also done in the station. feed for freshwater species (nile tilapia, Current works on giant freshwater prawn catfish, bighead carp, giant freshwater focus on the improvement of the seed prawn and ayungin, (mainly natural food so production method and lake-based cage far) have been studied here. culture. Demonstration of grow-out culture to potential technology adoptors is also being undertaken in the station. Several studies successfully tested the Available planktons: potential of indigenous feed ingredients such as cowpea meal as an alternative »» Chlorella sorokiana - Php 300/L library training room »» Spirulina platensis - Php 300/L protein source for diets of GFP postlarvae to replace sardine fishmeal. The »» Moina sp. »» Microcystis aeruginosa - Php 400/L study on biofloc, which makes use of heterotrophic system, is also done »» Freshwater rotifer - Brachionus sp. » in the station. It is being tested for the grow-out of GFP with minimal water » Chroococcus sp. »» Nannochloropsis sp. Zooplankton replacement for the entire rearing cycle. Phytoplankton