by
Herminio R. Rabanal1
1. The 19th Annual Conference and Exposition of the World Aquaculture Society was held in Honolulu, Hawaii in 4–10 January 1988. It was attended by some 1 000 participants from 50 countries, mainly of 2 500 registered members and other individuals interested in the work of the Society. Three hundred fifteen papers were submitted for presentation in the technical sessions as well as posters. The meeting sessions were divided into plenary and review sessions, special sessions, and technical sessions.
2. The main theme of this 19th Annual Conference of the Society was “East Meets West”. It was opened by an opening plenary session on the morning of Tuesday, 5 January 1988 with Dr. John Glude, former president of the Society as moderator. The opening plenary session consisted of an invocation, welcome addresses by Dr. J. Corbin, representing the Society in Hawaii and by Senator Chang, representing the State of Hawaii; presidential address by Dr. David Aiken, incumbent president of the Society; and keynote addresses by Dr. I-Chiu Liao of Taiwan for the East and Dr. Paul Sandifer for the west.
3. The plenary and review sessions dealt on:(a) Status of world aquaculture reviewed by Dr. Colin Nash of FAO, Rome; (b) Genetic improvements in cultured stocks, reviewed by Dr. Graham Gall, University of California, Davis; and (c) Advances in shrimp disease and diagnosis and treatment reviewed by Dr. James Brock of the State of Hawaii, Department of Land and Natural Resources.
4. Four special sessions were organized in this conference. These are:(a) Recent advances in shrimp culture, moderated by Dr. Gary Pruder of the Oceanic Institute, Hawaii; (b) Aquaculture in Asia and the Pacific, moderated by Dr. Robert Brick of the University of Hawaii; (c) Marketing strategies and tactics for aquaculture products, moderated by Mr. Raymond Rhodes of the South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department; and (d) Aquaculture products:implication for human health, organized by Dr. John D. Castell of Canada and Dr. Lorena E. Barck of the University of Hawaii.
5. The bases of technical exchanges during the conference were highlighted in 23 technical sessions on the following subjects:(1) crawfish; (2) water quality; (3) shrimp diet and nutrition; (4) pond culture; (5) shrimp larvae; (6) live feeds; (7) crustacea; (8) shrimp culture I; (9) tilapia; (10) polyculture; (11) aquaculture development/technology transfer; (12) pond dynamics; (13) diet and nutrition; (14) shrimp reproduction; (15) finfish I; (16) shrimp culture II; (17) genetics; (18) finfish reproduction; (19) mollusks; (20) aquaculture in developing countries; (21) processed feeds; (22) finfish II; and (23) economics and marketing. These technical sessions were held in different venues and many of them were simultaneously conducted in order to accommodate the numerous papers which were submitted in this conference.
6. Some 97 papers were presented in the poster session. These were of diverse interests and attracted a lot of attention from the conference participants. This arrangement was also a means to accommodate the overflowing number of papers in this conference. The abstracts of presented and poster technical papers that are relevant to aquaculture development in Asia and the Pacific are presented as Appendix C.
7. The conference tours which were also regular features of this conference consisted of those that catered to cultural and touristic purposes for accompanying family members of the conference attendees. There were, however, two major aquaculture tours, one within the island of Oahu which included visits to Amorient Farms, the largest aquafarm on Oahu; the Marine Research and Training Center of the University of Hawaii (shrimp, prawns, Chinese catfish, carp and tilapia); Unisyn (hydroponics, microalgae), and the Oceanic Institute (shrimp, milkfish research and various training programs). The second tour is the big island (Hawaii Island) aquaculture tour which consisted of a visit to the National Energy Research Laboratory of Hawaii (NERLH) in Kona, where the Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) project utilizes cold, deep ocean water, for aquaculture projects. Cultured on site ace abalone, microalgae, seaweed, American lobster and salmon; and also a visit to the Aquatic Culture and Design Farm (Chinese catfish, prawns).
8. Of the numerous technical papers submitted in this conference, there are a number that are of interest and relevance to Philippine and Asian aquaculture. The authors, titles and abstracts of these papers are copied as Appendix C.
9. Many personalities and stalwarts in various fields of aquaculture were met during this conference. Although, due to the large attendance, it was not possible to meet even those with whom some reactions or exchanges should be undertaken. A list of the personalities and other individuals met in this conference are listed in Appendix A,
10. The exposition was a major feature of this annual affair of the Society. Fifty-five exhibitors displayed aquaculture equipments, feeds, drugs and chemicals, publications and other informative materials, marketing services, aquaculture management equipment such as pumps, environmental quality monitoring equipments, nets, and investment prospect services. The basis for future business relations of these exhibitors with people in the industry were established in some instances during this conference and some sales were also accomplished. The list of exhibitors in this conference is included as Appendix B.
11. Aquaculture in Hawaii is being accelerated through aggressive research and development programmes of government and government-supported institutions. Hawaii is one of the states of that country that has put up and maintains an office called Hawaii Aquaculture Development Program (ADP). Established over 10 years ago, this agency promotes development, renders extension services and funds research in aquaculture. In the field of research, two institutions stand out as leaders in this field:University of Hawaii and the Oceanic Institute. The University of Hawaii has acquired the former research station of the Aquatic Farms (a private consulting firm) and now maintains it as a Marine Research and Training Center (MRTC) for active research and training work in aquaculture. The. Oceanic Institute, a private, non-profit organization supported by federal., state and private sources, has, been engaged in marine research with emphasis in aquaculture. It has four major programs at present including:(a) finfish, biology and culture (e.g. mullet, milkfish, mahimahi); (b) crustacean culture, specially penaeid shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) and P. monodon); (c) study and formulation of feeds for cultured species; and (d) oceanographic studies.
12. There are a number of private aquaculture enterprises of which the two major ones in the State of Hawaii are (1) Amorient Aquafarm, Inc. and (2) Marine Culture Enterprises (MCE). The Amorient Aquafarm is the largest operating about 100 ha area of farm for penaeid shrimp, hatchery and intensive grow-out and the culture of some finfish species. Of the shrimps, Penaeus vannamei and P. monodon are the cultivated species in about 40 ha of this farm.
13. The Marine Culture Enterprises, which has been reported to be the most intensive shrimp farm in the world, makes use of shallow raceways in enclosed greenhouses to raise the introduced blue shrimp, Penaeus stylirostris. Built on a two-ha area, it is designed to be Capable of producing up to 200 tons (400 000 lbs) of shrimp tails per year. Unfortunately, during the initial year of its operation (1986/87), it suffered a disease problem necessitating total disinfection and setting back the schedule of production operations.
14. The National Energy Research Laboratory of Hawaii (NERLH) with its Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) project, located in Kona, Hawaii Island, utilizes pumped, nutrient-rich deep ocean water (from over 600 m deep) for aquaculture. Culture of abalone, microalgae, seaweed, lobster and the coho salmon have been experimented using this water. Results in some of these experiments are now being piloted by interested private firms using a reserved land adjacent to this Laboratory.
15. Utilization of organic wastes such as animal manure for the culture of economic species of microalgae is another recent trend observed in Hawaii. The Unisyn Company utilizes animal manure for its practice of hydroponics in agriculture using greenhouses and the culture of economic microalgae especially Spirulina. Likewise, the Natural Energy Research Laboratory of Hawaii in Kona through interested private firms has started producing Spirulina and Dunaliela species. Both these microalgae are high in nutrient value and are utilized as ingredients of valuable human food products.
16. The culture of the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii which had a headstart during the early 80's in Hawaii is observed to have declined considerably. Previous prawn farms are now being converted for the culture of other finfish of more economic importance. The introduced Chinese catfish, Clarias fuscus. and hybrid red tilapia have good market in Hawaii and are now cultivated in freshwater farms. In saltwater, mullet culture, milkfish culture and the possible culture of mahimahi (Corephaena), a very valuable species in the state, have good prospects. Both the grey mullet and the milkfish have been experimentally hatched in Hawaii laboratories (Oceanic Institute). The hatching of mahimahi, which is a very valuable food species in this state has recently been accomplished also by the Oceanic Institute. Overall at present, aquaculture development in the state of Hawaii is mainly focused in the production of penaeid shrimp through high technology aimed at filling the high market need for this product in the American market.
17. In addition to attendance to the WAS Annual Conference, this writer was invited to participate in the-annual meeting of the global USAID--supported Pond Dynamics/Aquaculture, Collaborative Research Support Programme (CRSP) held in Kona, Hawaii, 11–15 January 1988, specifically to be member of the External Evaluation Panel (EEP) of this Program for the period starting January 1988. This Program has field experimental projects in Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand in Asia; Honduras and Panama in Latin America; and Rwanda in Africa. The objective of the Program is to undertake experiments in field projects in this listed developing countries using uniform treatments with standard chemical, physical and biological monitoring of the environments of these aquaculture projects matched against the production obtained of fish or shrimp resulting from the conditions used in the culture. The idea is to get a thorough understanding of the dynamics of production through aqua-culture in these sites so that proper production models can be developed to be used to effect increase in food production which is much needed in many developing countries of the world. The experiment started in 1983 and is scheduled to terminate about 1990. Three production cycles have been completed so far (1983–1987), and forward planning for experiments for 1988 to 1990 were discussed in this meeting.
Office Address:c/o ASEAN/UNDP/FAO Regional Small-Scale Coastal Fisheries
Development Project, P.O. Box 1184
Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines
Residence:8 Basilan Road, Philamlife Homes
Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Issued 15 March 1988
