48 MARCH 2015 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG Mindanao is the second largest of the three major islands in the Philippines and consists of six of the 16 regions in the country (Fig. 1). Its total land area (104,630 km2) is similar to the state of Ohio, USA, and is larger than 125 countries in the world. With a population of more than 25 million, Mindanao is the eighth most populous place on earth. Generally Mindanao is in a better geographic location than the other two major islands of the Philippines, which are frequently struck by natural disasters such as typhoons that result in devastation to human lives, property and livelihoods. Most parts of Mindanao are not prone to typhoons, which tend to occur at a lower frequency and intensity. The mountainous center of the island (with an elevation to 2,954 m) protects the eastern shore and contributes greatly to making Mindanao the agricultural basin of the Philippines. Of the top ten exportable agricultural products of the country, eight are produced primarily in this part of the country. Food production from land or water is a flourishing enterprise in Mindanao, inasmuch as agriculture and aquaculture are productive year round, without restrictions with respect to environmental conditions. Mindanao is considered to be an aquaculture haven in the Philippines. The aquaculture industry is embedded strongly in tradition and is diverse in terms of species cultured, facilities used and systems employed in production. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) reported that Mindanao contributed 42 percent of total aquaculture production in the country in 2012. This production came from brackishwater and freshwater fish ponds, fish cages and fish pens in fresh and marine waters, and mariculture of oysters, mussels and seaweeds. Species Cultured Seaweeds Kappaphycus spp. and Eucheuma spp., milkfish Chanos chanos, Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus and Asian tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon are the top four aquaculture products of Mindanao (Table 1). Mindanao TOP, FIGURE 1. Map of the Philippines showing the three major islands. BOTTOM, FIGURE 2. Seaweed production by region in Mindanao ( Source: Annual Report 2012. DA-BFAR ARMM). MINDANAO: An Aquaculture Haven in the Philippines Arlyn Mandas and Konrad Dabrowski TABLE 1. Aquaculture commodities produced in Mindanao in 2012. Aquaculture commodities Production (t) Seaweeds 941,462 Milkfish 72,909 Tilapia 17,519 Black tiger prawn 15,678 Mudcrab 8,609 White shrimp 1,110 Catfish 879 Oyster 531 Mudfish 201 Grouper 108 Carp 100 Spiny lobster 38 Rabbitfish 38 Mussel 10 Gourami 5 Cavalla/trevally 5 SOURCE: PHILIPPINE FISHERIES PROFILE 2012. DA-BFAR.
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