Introduction
Sexual maturation and spontaneous spawning of milkfish [Chanos chanos (Försskal)] reared in floating net cages have been attained at the Igang (Guimaras) Substation, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) Aquaculture Depart- ment and project sites of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources' (BFAR) National Bangus Breeding Program (NBBP) at Masinloc, Zambales; Alaminos, Pangasinan; Calape, Bohol; and Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur. Techniques of collection and transport of spawned eggs as well as larval rearing have also been developed, thus mass production of milkfish fry is now possible.
Captive milkfish broodstock undergoes first sexual maturation and spawning in five years and thereafter spawns yearly during the breeding season. The period during which milkfish eggs are avail- able therefore coincides with the months when wild fry are relatively abundant. However, the supply of wild fry is often unpredictable and the catch in recent years has apparently diminished. Further, the recent trend toward semi-intensive culture is expected to create a heavier demand for fry which may not be met by the supply from traditional sources. Hatchery production of fry can stabilize the supply of seeds and eventually promote increased production of milkfish, an important food fish in the Philippines.
Author(s)
Gapasin, Rolando S.J.; Marte, Clarissa L.
Publication
AQUACULTURE DEPARTMENT SOUTHEAST ASIAN FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT CENTER. Aquaculture Extension Manual No. 17. 1990.
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