is needed before a new fi sh species reaches commercialisa- tion, even if it has the attributes FISH FARMING needed for mass production.

IN THE PACIFIC - A RESPONSIBLE Tilapia was introduced in much of the region in the 1950s and WAY FORWARD 1960s. It is one of only a hand- ful of fi sh species available In many islands of the Pacifi c, the worldwide that is ideal for suc- environmental costs from past Tim Pickering cessful low-cost farming. It is introductions of tilapia have already SPC Aquaculure Officer easy to breed and grow without been paid. How can people in these ([email protected]) needing high technology, eats places now responsibly obtain the a range of low-cost foods, and expected social benefi ts? tolerates a wide range of pond coastal fi sheries will not be able conditions. Originally from This question emerged as the to supply the increased quantity Africa, tilapia is now so domes- main theme of a meeting of of fi sh needed to meet the pro- ticated for farming in Asia and regional and international ex- jected future demand. Without the Americas that it has been perts hosted by the Secretariat good management, and com- dubbed “the aquatic chicken”. of the Pacifi c Community (SPC) bined with threats to coral reefs in Noumea, New Caledonia in by climate change, the supply of Internationally, farmed tilapia December 2009. On one hand, fi sh from coastal reef fi sheries is is a commodity. The SPC meet- tilapia farming is one of the in fact likely to decrease. ing heard from US Tilapia Asso- readily available options to ciation past-president Professor regional food security concerns. To cope with future demands Kevin Fitzsimmons that tilapia On the other hand, tilapia is an for fi sh, the time to start plan- has now reached the top fi ve , which raises ning is now. Governmental and preferred “sea foods” in the concerns about its impacts on regional agencies have identi- USA, overtaking salmon for the biodiversity of indigenous fi ed two main options to make the fi rst time during 2009. “The freshwater fi sh. up the projected shortfall in fi sh amazing thing about tilapia is supply: 1) allocate more of the how rapidly sales continue to The SPC meeting — “Future region’s tuna catch to domes- grow: in 2000, global consump- directions for tilapia in the tic food security needs, and 2) tion was worth USD 1.75 billion, Pacifi c” — found that tilapia develop small-pond aquacul- in 2005, this had reached USD farming is already making ture. The option is 2.5 billion, and in 2010 it will be a useful contribution in the a good one for providing fresh USD 5 billion”. Secretary-Gen- region, and has much more fi sh to rapidly-growing urban eral of the Network of Aquac- still to offer. But careful plan- centres, and to inland popula- ulture Centres in Asia and the ning will be needed to obtain tions, in countries with adequate Pacifi c (NACA), Professor Sena the anticipated economic and land and freshwater resources De Silva concurred, informing social benefi ts while avoiding for fi sh farming. regional representatives about further environmental costs. the huge contribution to rural Tilapia — An obvious choice food security and livelihoods Pacifi c Island countries will now being made by tilapia farm- face an increasing shortage of Small-scale fi sh farming requires ing in Asia. “If we ask whether fi sh for domestic consumption. simple production methods. tilapia, as an introduced alien Recent results of environmen- The type of fi sh chosen for farm- species in Asia, is a ‘friend’ or a tal and demographic studies ing must be one that is simple to ‘foe’, the answer is overwhelm- presented by SPC show that the breed and feed. There are pres- ingly that it is now a ‘friend’ to region’s growing populations ently no obvious candidates millions of our people”. will need an additional 100,000 among the indigenous fi sh in tonnes of fi sh by 2030 if present the Pacifi c Islands region. To Farming tilapia for food security per capita fi sh consumption identify and develop any local is not a new idea in the Pacifi c. (essential for dietary health) is species with potential for aqua- Fiji and Papua New Guinea to be maintained1. Even with culture takes time. Typically, 10 (PNG) both have long-standing good management, the region’s or 15 years of scientifi c research policies of government support

24 SPC Fisheries Newsletter #130 – September/December 2009 TILAPIA FARMING IN THE PACIFIC - A RESPONSIBLE WAY FORWARD for tilapia farming in rural areas. people have to be able to get the Pacifi c are reputedly the PNG’s representative at the meet- their product out of the village inbred descendants of less than ing, Peter Minimulu (National because their neighbours have a dozen fi sh found at a place in Fisheries Authority), reported little spare cash to buy fi sh.” Indonesia in 1939. As a result, that somewhere between 10,000 according to a recent study and 20,000 household-scale tila- Vanuatu already boasts one supervised by geneticist Profes- pia farms now exist in PNG’s such medium-scale enterprise. sor Peter Mather of Queensland remote highlands and northern Vate Ocean Gardens is operated University of Technology: “... coastal provinces. This level of by Paul Ryan in Lake Manuro the tilapia in the activity makes PNG the Pacifi c on Efate Island, using fl oating- Pacifi c are so lacking in genetic region’s leader in tilapia farm- cages to culture an attractive variation that improvement by ing. Fiji’s Department of Fish- red-colour variety of selective breeding will be almost eries similarly encourages and tilapia sourced from Thailand. impossible”, he said. supports rural small-scale tilapia “It’s become a nice little busi- farming, by providing farmer ness”, says Mr Ryan, whose reg- For , however, training, hatchery services and ular harvests of fresh “perche improved varieties are now marketing assistance. cerise” (“cherry perch”) are usu- available, which have been ally sold out in Port Vila within selected to give better growth Household-scale, versus two hours. “I grow the fi sh in performance when domesti- medium-scale enterprises a small lake already degraded cated in pond conditions using by previous fi sh introductions formulated pellet feeds. Some The SPC meeting heard from and by the dumping of tree rub- countries in the region such as WorldFish Center representa- bish from land-clearing, so our Fiji and PNG are already using tive Dr Randall Brummett, tilapia farm is not only econom- these varieties for farming. based in Cameroun, about cen- ically viable, it has little addi- Other countries in the region tral Africa’s past experiences tional negative environmental wishing to establish success- in small-scale tilapia farming impact.” At the meeting, repre- ful tilapia farms will need to development targeting poor sentatives from Guam, Saipan ignore the feral Mozambique households. “As an approach and American Samoa reported tilapia already present in their to food security, such projects that they too have successful rivers and use a domesticated are better than giving out food commercial operators growing variety of Nile tilapia. “Domes- relief. But without a deliberate and selling tilapia, mainly in ticated varieties do better in and accepted policy to provide backyard operations that rear culture with good feeding”, ongoing subsidies, such as giv- the fi sh intensively in swim- advised Prof. De Silva, “but ing out fi ngerlings for free, they ming pools or cement tanks. they don’t do so well as feral are not usually self-sustaining types if they escape into rivers. businesses”, he said. The Pacific was given the This is especially so with red “wrong” tilapia hybrids, whose bright colour The more promising approach makes them more easily caught now being taken in Africa is one The species of tilapia introduced by fi shers or by hunting birds of medium-scale enterprises. to the Pacifi c was the Mozam- like herons and cormorants”. These larger fi sh farms have bique tilapia ( mos- economies of scale to support sambicus), whereas 90% of the infrastructure such as fi sh hatch- tilapia farmed globally today is eries or feed mills. Smaller-scale Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloti- operators can then also access cus). Distinctions between the these services. Most importantly, two species are not always clear- jobs are created — on the farms cut because they hybridise eas- themselves and in support- ily. However, the Mozambique ing industries. “In the last 10 tilapia is generally much slower years, African aquaculture has growing (in culture) and poten- Mozambique tilapia were stocked fi nally started to grow,” said Dr tially more invasive because it is into many inland water bodies Brummett. “The difference has more tolerant of salt water. of the Pacific region during the been a switch to a business-like 1950s and 1960s, as part of efforts approach with a focus on mar- To make matters even worse, to increase freshwater fisheries production. It is unsuitable for kets and profi ts. To earn enough the particular Mozambique aquaculture. (Photo: Tim Pickering). to keep their fi sh farms running, tilapia distributed throughout

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #130 – September/December 2009 25 TILAPIA FARMING IN THE PACIFIC - A RESPONSIBLE WAY FORWARD

Managing environmental risks of tilapia

The SPC meeting was briefed about threats to biodiversity among the region’s freshwater fi shes by Suva-based Dr Aaron Jenkins of Wetlands International – Oceania. Dr Jenkins includes feral tilapia among several threats to indigenous river fi shes in the Pacifi c. “In Fijian streams, we’ve found that the presence of tilapia along with deforestation is associated with the absence of as many as 10 of the indige- nous fi sh species.” Pacifi c Island river fi shes are more vulnerable to these multiple threats than An experimental tilapia pond constructed on the initiative of Mr Fred those in Australia or Asia, he Manu in 2002 in North Malaita, as a village-level development project. says, because more of our spe- The growth rate of the tilapia was so slow that the project was suspended. cies have early life history stages This is because only Mozambique tilapia is presently available in the that spend time in the ocean, and Solomon Islands. (Photo: Tim Pickering). so cross several habitats during their lives. recommends that the distribu- being able to work with suit- tions of indigenous species, able domesticated varieties. This Prof De Silva commented on and of tilapia, be mapped and means having the capacity to Asia’s experience that tilapia do used as guides for aquacul- manage aquatic-species quar- not easily invade pristine clear- ture planning. “We defi nitely antine protocols at the national running forested streams, but need policies in place to avoid level. It also means carrying out prefer slower-moving muddy introducing tilapia into remain- an import risk assessment for the rivers in open sunlit country- ing areas of high conservation proposed new variety, to ensure side. “If deforestation occurs, value”, he said. that no characteristics (such as tilapia will move in. They can higher salt tolerance) are added often be found at the scene of The way ahead for tilapia to the local feral tilapia gene the crime, but are not neces- farming pool that may increase invasive sarily the criminal.” Dr Jenkins properties any further. Zoning counters that the unusually high It is obvious that the demand approaches to aquaculture plan- level of connectivity between all for fresh fi sh in the region will ning can be developed to protect sections of Pacifi c Island rivers increasingly drive new initia- areas of high conservation value and the ocean itself means that tives to farm tilapia. Already the from the introduction of tilapia. ecosystem-based approaches region is witnessing an expan- The need for, and viability of, a are needed for protection of sion from household-scale fi sh tilapia farming industry should our indigenous fi shes, many of farming projects to economically be assessed country by country which are “endemic” (not found viable medium-scale enterprises and province by province, before anywhere else). “Resource own- based on aquaculture of this any decision is made to go ahead ers and managers will need to versatile fi sh. Participants at the with it. SPC plans to work with take into account all likely threats SPC-hosted meeting “Future its member countries and terri- throughout the entire river, to directions for tilapia in the tories, and other stakeholders, to avoid loss of species or further Pacifi c” have helped to clarify the further develop these and other reductions in useful indigenous main issues still to be addressed ideas in support of sustainable food fi shes such as the Fijian vo. if this industry is to expand in a and profi table tilapia farming in responsible and environmentally the Pacifi c Islands region. “It’s increasingly important to sustainable way. protect the invasive-free status 1. See Pacific Island Business, October of those river catchments that The success of new entrants to 2007: “Fish – cornerstone of future food security” are still pristine”. Dr Jenkins tilapia farming will depend on

26 SPC Fisheries Newsletter #130 – September/December 2009