It was more than a decade ago when Northern Mindanao’s prawn industry was almost crippled by Vibriosis, a luminous bacterial disease that caused sudden drops in the region’s shrimp production. The destruction caused by this event greatly affected the region’s shrimp producers prompting some intensive farms to close down, while extensive farms which contribute 88% of the region’s shrimps also suffered huge monetary losses.
In Region 10, Misamis Occidental alone has devoted 1,790 hectares of its total brackishwater fishpond area to prawn farming. Of this area, 95% are comprised of extensive farms which are characterized by low stocking densities of about 5 pcs /sq meter and below. These extensive farms are greatly preferred in this region since it is relatively cheaper to maintain but almost always produces high quality shrimp products because of less disease occurrences and problems. Likewise, extensive farming is more environment-friendly since it utilizes naturally available food organisms thus limiting the input of feeds and chemical supplements. Continue reading “Saline Tilapia: A beneficial partner in prawn rearing”
