AQD releases two turtles in the wild
AQD presents papers at international gatherings
From September 27 to October 2, AQD researcher Dr. Nerissa Salayo attended the UNITAR workshop in Hiroshima, Japan together with DENR Region V Director Felix Mendoza. They presented the results of the UNITAR-Bannai Small Grants project at AQD and DENR, that is, the two training workshops on sea and human security that were held in Masbate City and Culasi, Antique in 2009. The UNITAR panel commended the practical application of the project activities and its linkage to the integrated coastal management being promoted.
On November 3-6, researcher Ms. Jocelyn Ladja represented AQD to the Asia-Pacific Aquaculture Conference held at Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ms. Ladja presented her paper entitled Nursery culture of Asian seabass Lates calcarifer in cages in pond: evaluation of diets for growth, survival, protein efficiency and feed conversion ratios. The event was hosted by the Malaysian Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Based Industries and organized by the Asia-Pacific chapter of the World Aquaculture Society, Malaysia Fisheries Society and University Putra Malaysia.
On November 8-12, AQD scientist Dr. Emilia Quinitio participated in the 
On November 23-27, AQD participated in the East Asian seas congress held in Manila. Present during the event were AQD Chief Dr. Joebert Toledo, scientist Dr. Ma. Rowena Eguia, associate scientist Dr. Nerissa Salayo, and training & information head Mr. Renato Agbayani. The congress was organized by Partnership in the Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA).
From November 27 to 30, AQD training head Ms. Kaylin Corre and development communication head Ms. Milagros Castaños represented AQD in the International symposium on aquaculture & fisheries education (ISAFE) held in Pathumthani, Thailand. Ms. Corre and Ms. Castaños, who made the trip with support from AquaFish CRSP and AQD, gave an oral presentation on “Experiential learning and book development: the case of SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department.”
AQD specialists conduct prawn training in Brunei
AQD researchers Dr. Ma. Rowena Eguia and Mr. Manuel Laron conducted an on-site training on breeding and larval rearing of freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii in Negara, Brunei Darussalam. The training was held at Sg Jambu Fish Farm from October 12 to November 14. The 25 trainees attending were Brunei Fisheries Department staff and local fisheries vocational school faculty. Brunei Fisheries Department Director Yang Mulia Hajah Hasnah Ibrahim expressed their need for AQD’s technical assistance on freshwater aquaculture technologies and their plans for the Sg Jambu Fish Farm to become a lead center for aquaculture training, production, and research of freshwater species in Brunei Darussalam.
AQD assists in rural aquaculture training in the Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia
AQD assisted in the conduct of the Human resource development (HRD) on-site training course on rural aquaculture in three SEAFDEC member countries -- Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia. The training series is part of the SEAFDEC project entitled HRD on poverty alleviation and food security by fisheries intervention in the ASEAN Region funded by the Japan-ASEAN Solidarity Fund of the ASEAN Foundation. Graduates of the HRD training of trainers in aquaculture that was conducted by AQD in 2008 helped facilitate the training and demonstration sessions for small-scale fishers, farmers and other stakeholders in their respective countries.
In the Philippines, 21 trainees participated in the course on abalone farming held September 28 to October 2 in Catbalogan, Samar. The course had lectures on abalone culture, socioeconomics and financial analysis, followed by hands-on and demonstration sessions. Other topics included siganid culture in cages, aquasilviculture, and identification of seaweeds. AQD staff Mr. Vincent Encena II and Ms. Dianne Hope Tormon were the resource persons while BFAR training center head Ronnie Berida provided logistical support. 
In Indonesia, 15 trainees attended the course on catfish culture given by AQD researchers Dr. Ma. Lourdes Aralar and Ms. Antonietta Evangelista. The course was held in Boyolali Regency, Central Java from October 20 to 24, and focused on seed production and grow-out of the Dumbo catfish. The Indonesian Departmen Kelautan dan Perikanan (Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries) helped organize and facilitate the course.
Meanwhile, in Cambodia, 20 persons took part in the course covering nursery and grow-out of high value fish species such as grouper, snapper and seabass. Coordinated by Mr. Neang Sovuthdy of the Cambodian Fishery Administration (FiA), the course was held in Tomnok Rolok, Sihanoukville from November 11 to 17. AQD researcher Didi Baticados and AQD’s Igang station head Mr. Albert Gaitan were resource persons. Additional topics discussed included disease management, marketing of aquaculture products and participatory resource assessment.
Review of GOJ-TF funded projects at AQD
On December 9-10, the Annual progress meeting of Government of Japan-Trust Fund programs in AQD was held in Iloilo. A total of 32 studies comprising three projects were evaluated during the meeting. The three projects were (1) Development of fish disease surveillance system; (2) Development of technologies and human capacity building for sustainable aquaculture; and (3) Stock enhancement for threatened species of international concern. Dr. Motohiko Sano and Dr. Koichi Okuzawa of the Fisheries Research Agency (Japan) evaluated the projects. Mr. Tadahiro Kawata from the SEAFDEC Secretariat was also present to give his comments. Participants included scientists and research staff from AQD, University of the Philippines Visayas, the Department of Fisheries Administration (Cambodia), Department of Fisheries (Myanmar), Research Institute for Aquaculture 2 and 3 (Vietnam), Research Institute for Freshwater Aquaculture (Indonesia), and Inland Aquatic Animal Health Research Institute (Thailand).
Human resource development training course in Indonesia
The training is part of the HRD on-site training course on rural aquaculture organized by the Indonesian Departmen Kelautan dan Perikanan (Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries) under the HRD on poverty alleviation and food security by fisheries intervention in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Region. It is funded by the Japan-ASEAN Solidarity Fund of the ASEAN Foundation.
AQD Scientist Dr. Ma. Lourdes Aralar and Associate Researcher Ms. Antonietta Evangelista were on hand to provide support and observe the conduct of the training.
Fifteen trainees attended two HRD courses which were conducted at that time: Inland fisheries development and Rural aquaculture. These courses focused on the seed production and grow-out of the Dumbo catfish, respectively.
The site for the inland fisheries development training course is the Kampung Benih Lele (Catfish Seed Village), a few kilometers from the Kampung Lele (Catfish Village) where Dr. Aralar and Ms. Evangelista were assigned.
According to Dr. Aralar and Ms. Evangelista, Catfish Village is already well-versed in catfish culture but they still need training on nutrition, feed formulation, and disease management.
The farmers in Catfish Village harvest 8 to 11 tons of catfish daily within an aggregate pond area of 21 hectares. Individual ponds are small (ranging in size from 20 to 60 sq. m) and achieve a feed conversion rate (FCR) of 0.8 to 1 using commercial feeds with a stocking density of 300 to 500 pcs/sq. m.
On the last day, Ms. Evangelista was requested to deliver a lecture on natural food which was given in plenary with both groups of trainees in attendance. Ms Evangelista’s lecture was given in English but translation to Bahasa Indonesia was provided.
AQD wins 2009 AFMA best paper award
Their paper was entitled Growing the reproductive cells (carpospores) of the seaweed, Kappaphycus striatum, in the laboratory until outplanting in the field and maturation to tetrasporophyte.
Present to award the winners were Mr. Nicomedes Eleazar, BAR Director; Dr. William Padolina, chair of the Agriculture and Food Panel Congressional Commission on Science and Technology and Engineering (COMSTE) and deputy director general for Operations and Support Services of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI); and Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning Mr. Preceles H. Manzo.
In the same event, AQD Associate Scientist Dr. Nerissa Salayo, who co-authored the paper of Dr. Yolanda Garcia (University of the Philippines Los Baños) won the AFMA Best R&D Paper (socioeconomics category) with their study entitled The role of infrastructure developments on market price formation of major aquaculture species in the Philippines.
AQD welcomes new SEAFDEC Secretary-General
Dr. Pongsri replaced Dr. Siri Ekmaharaj who completed his four-year term as SEAFDEC Secretary-General last September 30. Prior to his nomination, Dr. Pongsri served as an Expert in Ecology at the Department of Fisheries (Thailand).
Travelling with Dr. Pongsri was Mr. Somnuk Pornpatimakorn, Administration and Finance coordinator of SEAFDEC.
AQD Chief Dr. Joebert Toledo toured Dr. Pongsri and Mr. Pornpatimakorn around the facilities in Tigbauan Main Station (TMS) and Dumangas Brackishwater Station (DBS) and introduced them to the study leaders and heads of various offices.
In a speech to AQD staff, Dr. Pongsri shared his views on the sustainable development of aquaculture in the Southeast Asian region and his appreciation for what AQD has achieved during its “very, very long history.”
Dr. Pongsri also stressed that the value and potential of AQD does not lie only in its facilities but more importantly on its human resources.
“The value of the facility itself is high already, but the value of the human resources here is even higher. With your ability, with your expertise, AQD can have a very strong progress in the future in targeting many new challenges, many new species, a lot of activities, a lot of achievements.”
In closing, Dr. Toledo added that he and Dr. Pongsri “have plenty of work to do,” but they are also faced with a shortage in funds.
“We will be discussing how to attract funds by working together, making concept papers, and helping each other in reaching out to various donors,” Dr. Toledo added.
AQD at PTAC, ISEP meetings
AQD participated in two meetings last October, which addressed research-and-development, administration & finance, and information-related concerns.
PTAC comprises the high level representatives of relevant Philippine Government agencies and is tasked to provide close coordination between the host government and SEAFDEC with regard to the operation of AQD.
This year’s PTAC meeting was convened with the following objectives: (i) to review the status of accomplishments of AQD in 2009 (R&D programs and administration and finance) and plans for 2010, for endorsement to the SEAFDEC Program Committee; and (ii) to discuss the pressing issues and matters that concern the present and future operations of AQD and its relations with the Philippine Government.
PTAC noted the progress of AQD’s R&D activities in 2009 and endorsed its 2010 planned activities, including AQD’s proposed budget for 2010-2012. The Committee also noted and approved the Operation and Management Guidelines prepared by AQD for the use of the Laboratory Facilities for Advanced Aquaculture Technologies.
ISEP meeting. The 10th meeting of the SEAFDEC Information Staff Exchange Program (ISEP) was held in Ayutthaya Province, Thailand last October 12 to 14.
AQD’s Development Communication Section Head Ms. Milagros Castaños and Information Assistant Mr. Rommel Guarin represented AQD in the meeting which was also attended by the SEAFDEC Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General, Senior Officials of the SEAFDEC Secretariat and Training Department, as well as information officers and staff from other SEAFDEC departments.
Among the items discussed during the meeting is the opportunity for AQD researchers to publish their journal articles in the Fish for the People magazine after rewriting them in layman’s language. This is hoped to address the demand for an external newsletter by AQD.
Additionally, the AQD website’s home page will be available in the languages of member countries next year with the help of information officers from the other SEAFDEC departments. 
A better system for AQD’s online and distance learning courses is also hoped once the Secretariat finds the funding. The new system will have an improved interface and better content, complete with short teaching videos.
The 11th ISEP will be hosted by AQD next year in close coordination with the SEAFDEC secretariat.
AQD presents UNITAR project results in Japan
AQD Associate Scientist Dr. Nerissa Salayo presented the results of the UNITAR-Bannai Small Grants project at the Training workshop series on sea and human security: Towards a comprehensive security for seas and oceans: The Hiroshima initiative organized by United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and held last Sept. 27 to Oct. 2 in Hiroshima, Japan.
Dir. Felix Mendoza of the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region V was with Dr. Salayo to present the results of two UNITAR-funded workshops held earlier this year in Masbate City and Culasi, Antique.
The UNITAR panel commended the practical application of the project activities and its linkage to the integrated coastal management being promoted by the UNITAR.
After presenting the project results, Dr. Salayo and Dir. Mendoza discussed the next steps with UNITAR staff and participated as well in work group discussions, lectures, and study visits.
AQD participates in PAEDA convention
The 47th Biennial Convention of the Philippine Agricultural Economics and Development Association (PAEDA) was held last October 22-23 at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management Convention Hall, in Quezon City.
Training and Information Division Head Mr. Renato Agbayani, Senior Technical Assistant Mr. Vincent Encena II, and Associate Scientist Dr. Nerissa Salayo presented papers in the fisheries and aquaculture sessions.
Mr. Encena’s paper was entitled R&D success and challenges in high-value fish food production to sustain food and livelihoods in the Philippines and Southeast Asian region: the case of abalone.
Lastly, the paper of Dr. Salayo was on Markets, stakeholder paradigm shift and development issues in small-scale fisheries in the Philippines.
The theme of this year’s PAEDA convention is Reshaping institutions and accelerating economic reforms for a more competitive Philippine agriculture in the 21st century.
The PAEDA Board of Directors are looking forward to the involvement of AQD in the 48th convention, which they hope to hold in the Visayas next year.
AQD joins AgriLink, Pinoy Aquatic Fair
To showcase its science-based technologies, publications, training programs, and other services, AQD participated in two fairs last September and October.
Binangonan Freshwater Station (BFS) and Manila Office (MO) staff took turns in manning the booth, providing free consultation, and distributing AQD publications to the numerous exhibit guests.
The centerpiece of the Foodlink/Agrlink/Aqualink exhibit were aquaria containing freshwater and marine aquatic species provided by AQD and private aquaculture farms. The AQD booth on the other hand had an aquarium containing freshwater prawns and flasks with freshwater algae. A large LCD monitor was used to play various AQD institutional and instructional videos.
A growing demand was also noted for information materials on milkfish grow-out, grouper, siganids, marine fish hatchery, and feeds & feeding.
Upon the request of Agrilink organizers, Associate Researcher Mr. Ruel Eguia gave a seminar on the business prospects of koi breeding and farming while Scientist Dr. Ma. Lourdes Aralar gave two lectures on freshwater prawn farming and white shrimp farming. MO Head Ms. Grace Garcia also served as technical resource person for the Aqualink Special Setting.
This year’s Agrilink, Foodlink, and Aqualink revolved around the theme Sustainable food production: focus on the Filipino market and was organized by the Foundation for Resource Linkage and Development Inc.
2nd Pinoy Aquatic Fair. In another fair, AQD was given an award for having the best aquatic technology (private sector) during the 2nd Pinoy Aquatic Fair held last September 18-20 at the AANI Herbal Garden and Livelihood Center in Quezon City.
The fair was a project of the Agri Aqua Network International Inc (AANI) in collaboration with Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR), the private fishing industry, Aquaria Manila, REEF Philippines, Philippine Game Fishing Foundation, Quezon City LGU, and the Quezon Memorial Circle administration.
Training courses for Negros LGUs, Guimaras fisherfolk
Local government personnel and fisherfolk from Negros Occidental and Guimaras, respectively, benefited from AQD training courses conducted last October. The training courses focused on two economically important aquaculture commodities, namely abalone and milkfish.
Abalone training for Negros 
While the trainees attended comprehensive lectures on abalone biology, aquaculture, feeding, and economics, the bulk of the training focused on actual hatchery and grow-out operations in AQD’s Tigbauan Main Station (TMS) and Igang Marine Station (IMS). The group also visited a private abalone hatchery in Oton which was established using AQD technology.
SNCDMC is an alliance of three LGUs namely Sipalay City, and the municipalities of Cauayan and Hinoba-an in Negros Occidental.
The training course is part of SNCDMC’s Livelihood diversification program for Southern Negros which involves the establishment of abalone farms in Sipalay City and Hinoba-an as well as seaweed farming and pen culture of mud crabs in mangroves in Cauayan.
More training courses for SNCDMC is in the pipeline with an on-site training course on seaweeds farming slated next month and more in 2010.
Training on milkfish for Guimaras fisherfolk 
Brgy. San Antonio. Fisherfolk from Brgy. San Antonio attended their last training module on Fish health management, business planning, financial analysis, and cooperatives development and management last October 8 to 9 at Roma Beach Resort in the said barangay.
On the first day, a lecture on business planning and management was given by Training and Information Division Head Mr. Renato Agbayani while Scientist Dr. Edgar Amar gave a talk and a demonstration on disease diagnosis, prevention, and control.
On the second day, Igang Marine Station Head Mr. Albert Gaitan lectured on cage operation and maintenance, Senior Technical Assistant Ms. Dianne Hope Tormon on financial analysis, and lastly, Researcher Ms. Didi Baticados lectured on the development and management of cooperatives.
Eighty-eight participants from the three barangays were treated with lectures which were given by Ms. Rose Mueda, a researcher from the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) Institute of Fish Processing Technology (IFPT).
Ms. Mueda also facilitated the practicals with the help of Ms. Rosana Alama and Ms. Nida Momblan, who were laboratory assistants also from IFPT.
Among the topics covered were product development, value added products from aquaculture, product formulation, proper handling and icing, and market potential and marketing strategies.
During practical sessions, trainees eagerly observed demonstrations on milkfish deboning before trying it out themselves.
They also prepared three marinade solutions (hamonado, lamayo, and adobo) where they soaked their deboned fish. Their finished products were served for lunch on the second day.
Before closing the training session, the materials used in preparing the marinades were also turned-over to the different fisherfolk organizations from the three barangays in order to jumpstart their fish processing venture.
Visitors from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
The group was composed of 2 professors and 9 graduate and undergraduate students from the Faculty of Biosciences and Engineering of UTM led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fahrul Zaman Huyop.
On their first day, the visitors were toured by AQD Scientist Dr. Rolando Pakingking around the different facilities in TMS. They also met with AQD Chief Dr. Joebert Toledo and Research Division (RD) Head Dr. Evelyn Grace Ayson in the afternoon to discuss possible future research collaborations and the possibility of coming up with an agreement between AQD and UTM.
Upon the invitation of Dr. Ayson, the group held an informal poster exhibit at the RD lobby the next day which allowed the UTM students to interact with AQD staff.
On the last day of their academic tour, the group visited AQD’s Dumangas Brackishwater Station (DBS) in the morning and presented three research papers in the afternoon. Dr. Huyop’s paper was on the Use of 3-chloropropionic acid dehalogenase gene as selection marker for Escherichia coli. Mr. Salehhuddin Hamdan discussed the Effect of effective microorganisms on catfish aquculture, while Mr. Azzmer Azzar Abdul Hamid’s paper was on the Identification of Pseudomonas sp. strain S3 using polymerase chain reaction.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)