World Aquaculture 39 Markets for Honduran tilapia Suyapa Triminio Meyer and Daniel E. Meyer1 The first reports of tilapia in Honduras date from the mid-1930s when broodstock of Java tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) was introduced to Honduras from El Salvador. In 1955, the Honduran government, through the Secretariat of Natural Resources, created the Jesus de Otoro Aquaculture Station for the culture of freshwater shrimp (Macrobrachium rosenbergii). In 1958, because of various problems, this activity was discontinued. In 1968, the station resumed activities, this time oriented to the culture of tilapia. Two additional aquaculture stations were created by the government during the 1960s and 70s. The El Carao National Fish Culture Research Station was constructed in 1979. That station was utilized to initiate a national program of fish culture through extension programs and distribution of tilapia fingerlings to local farmers. The program focused on promoting subsistence-level fish culture throughout the country. Target groups included rural farmers and community organizations. During the 1980s and 90s, the diffusion of innovation in aquaculture was characterized by large investments at the El Carao National Fish Culture Research Station as well as support for research activities and training of Honduran technicians. Since 1983, funding for aquaculture research in Honduras has been primarily from US Agency for International Development through the Pond Dynamics/Aquaculture Collaborative Research Support Program (PD/A CRSP). That research program was directed by staff from the International Center for Aquaculture and Aquatic Environments of Auburn University, Alabama, USA in collaboration with the Secretariat for Agriculture and Animal Science of the Honduran government until 1999. Since then the Escuela Agrícola Panamericana (Zamorano University) has been the host institution coordinating all the PD/A CRSP efforts in Central America. About 3,000 participants in training events and the production of training materials as well as the launch of a website (www.acuacultura.org) to transfer information are some of the results of these efforts. It is important to mention that students from 13 Latin American countries that attend that university, received aquaculture training as part of their curriculum, promoting in this way aquaculture in Latin America. The predominant species cultured in Honduras are Nile tilapia (O. niloticus) and red tilapia (O. sp.). Both are cultured in freshwater ponds, raceways, and in cages placed in reservoirs and natural lakes. The fish are cultured in a variety of systems from the very rudimentary subsistence level to hightech intensive production for export. The markets for Honduran tilapia include export to the United States of America, Red tilapia harvest. Red tilapia on hand net. the domestic market, and the less important but growing markets in the neighboring Central American countries. Export Markets The export of fresh fillets to North America became important beginning around 1996 when a large commercial farm began operations in northern Honduras. Several years later a second farm came on line. In 2007, Honduran exports of fresh fillets surpassed 7,900 t with an estimated value of US$51.4 million and an average price of US$6.51/Kg FOB. In 2007, after Ecuador, Honduras was the second country in importance supplying fresh fillets to North America. By value, tilapia is the sixth most important export product from Honduras, after coffee, bananas, shrimp, gold and
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