World Aquaculture 27 sp.), accounting for about 82 percent of total tilapia production, the remaining species being the Nile tilapia, Mossambique tilapia (O. mossambicus) or hybrids thereof. The major farmed catfish species are the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus or their hybrids), various Pangasius species and the bagrid catfish, Mystus nemurus, locally known as baung. Total catfish production in 2007 was 28,875 t. Various carp species such as grass (Ctenopharyngodon idella), Javanese (Puntius gonionotus), common (Cyprinus carpio) and big head carp (Hypophthalmichthys spp.), are farmed but production is relatively small, amounting to about 5,005 t in 2007. Aquaculture production of the freshwater shrimp amounted to only about 246 t in 2007. Marine and brackishwater aquaculture The major species in this sector is the blood cockle, Anadara granosa, at 49,620 t in 2007, contributing 18 percent to total aquaculture production (Figure 1) and 33 percent of the total production of 151,260 t of marine and brackishwater aquaculture in 2007 (Figure 3). Malaysia is currently the largest producer of blood cockles in the world. Large tracts of mudflats (about 6,900 ha) especially on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia are ideal for the extensive culture of cockles. Other marine and brackishwater culture systems include those used for the culture of seaweeds (29 percent), along with ponds (25 percent) and cages (10 percent; Figure 1). Penaeid shrimp production in Malaysia amounted to 11,435 t of the black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) and 23,737 t of white shrimp (mainly P. vannamei) in 2007 (DOF 2009). However, Subramaniam (2008) estimated that in 2006, about 60,000 t of shrimp were produced, the bulk of which was P. vannamei. Industry estimates of farmed shrimp production in Malaysia in 2007 were about 70,000 t, with about 80 percent of the production coming from P. vannamei (Subramaniam 2008). The large increase from about 33,000 t in 2005 (DOF 2005) to 70,000 t within two short years was due to the farming of P. vannamei. This exotic white shrimp from South America was first introduced into Malaysia from Taiwan in 2001 and within a few years became the main species cultured locally. The main advantages of P. vannamei over P. monodon in an average production environment are higher growth rates, higher stocking densities, lower protein feed, better feed conversion ratio, the commercial availability of specific pathogen-free (SPF) and specific pathogen-resistant (SPR) broodstock and generally lower production costs. In June, 2003, the Malaysian government banned the further import of P. vannamei due to concerns of Taura Syndrome Virus (TSV) and other viral pathogens. However, in April 2005, the Department of Fisheries subsequently permitted the farming of this exotic shrimp species but only using SPF postlarvae and broodstock from designated suppliers in the USA. Nevertheless, incidences of shrimp smuggled in from neighboring countries continue to plague the local industry. Despite the risks of introducing foreign shrimp diseases to local aquatic animal populations, local shrimp farmers continue to favor the culture of white shrimp. Malaysia is arguably second only to China as a major tropical marine fish producer in the world. About 14,837 t of snappers, sea bass and groupers were produced in 2007 Clarias catfish feeding A Macrobrachium farm Macrobrachium harvest
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjExNDY=