Hatchery sector and operators will soon have access to the new technology on hatchery production of the green mussel (Perna viridis) spats developed by the Institute of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, UP Visayas (UPV-CFOS-IA) for grow-out production and expansion.
The UPV-CFOS-IA and Department of Science and Technology -Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) started the conduct of training course on green mussel spat hatchery production from April 24 – 28, 2023.
Held at the Institute of Aquaculture mussel hatchery, UPV-CFOS in Miagao, Iloilo, the five-day training was participated by 13 representatives from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region 1, 6, 8, BFAR-National Fisheries Development Center, and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Province of Aklan.
The training aimed to capacitate the participants with the technical knowledge and skills on green mussel hatchery so that they can share and spread the technology among the stakeholders in the country particularly the hatchery sector, who are the identified primary users of the technology.
The participants attended lectures and had practical sessions relevant to green mussel hatchery particularly on broodstock packaging and transport; spawning, egg and sperm estimation, and stocking/incubation; broodstock depuration; culture of natural food; harvesting and stocking of D-hinged and pediveliger larvae; harvesting and stocking of early spats; and harvesting and stocking of green mussel spats in hanging ropes for inland and field nursery deployment.
Dr. Mary Jane Amar, Project leader of the Pilot Testing of the Green Mussel Hatchery Project together with her project staff, Dr. Lily Anne Piñosa, and Ms. Ma. Novem Grace Ylayron gave the lectures and conducted the hands-on training.
Speaking on behalf of the trainees, Mr. Francisco Reyes, Jr., Aquaculturist II of BFAR-NFDC, hoped that they can disseminate their learning to their respective localities in order to help the mussel industry and to improve the income of small fishers in the coastal communities.
The training was funded by DOST-PCAARRD. Dr. Adelaida T. Calpe, Director of Inland Aquatic Resources Research Division, PCAARRD, said that they will again conduct the aforesaid training as well as on other technologies “to reach people who really need the appropriate technology.” The 2nd batch of the training on hatchery production of the green mussel spats will be conducted soon.
Amar, Scientist I and university researcher of CFOS–IA, developed the technology with funding from DOST-PCAARRD, which refined it for technology transfer.
Green mussel is one of the priority fishery commodities identified to have the potential to contribute to address food sustainability and security in the country.
“Aquaculture is the fastest expanding food production sector in the world today as it hopes to meet the growing demand for food supply brought about the ever-increasing human population. We have always emphasized that the seed stock is one of the most important inputs from aquaculture production,” said Amar at the closing ceremony of the training on April 28, 2023.
She underscored the crucial need of hatchery seed production to the realization of the global aquaculture potential.
Also present during the closing program were CFOS-IA director Prof. Dr. Rex Ferdinand M. Traifalgar, SRS II/Mussel ISP Manager Ms. Kristine Joy L. Tandang, and Dr. Cynthia Almazan of IARRD-PCAARRD. (With sources from Dr. Mary Jane A. Amar)
