WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • MARCH 2017 49 advocacy and conservation of mangrove forests (Fig. 1). Thus, milkfish farming provides a financial and livelihood motivation for the communities to engage in mangrove management and conservation (Mirera 2011a). The number of organized community groups involved in milkfish farming along the Kenyan coast has increased from 5 in 2007 to 56 in 2015, while the area of milkfish farms has also increased significantly over the same period (Mirera, 2007a). The size of fishponds used by these groups in milkfish culture has increased from the initial 12 m × 10 m (120 m2) to the current 40 m × 30 m (1200 m2) through the intervention of a World Bank funded project called the Kenya Coastal Development Project (KCDP) (Mirera 2016; Fig. 2). Milkfish Production Systems The farming of milkfish in Kenya was initiated in small (120 m2) earthen ponds in open intertidal flats in mangrove forests. The sites were carefully selected on the basis of the suitability of soils for pond construction, limited possibility for mangrove cutting and where gradients were good for tidal water exchange. Ponds were fitted with drain pipes on the upper side of the dyke to allow free exchange of tidal water at high spring tides while the lower section was designed and fitted with a relatively large diameter pipe for drainage during harvesting (Mirera 2011a). This minimized the time required for water exchange because it could occur without the presence of farmers. In addition, the cost of pipes was far less than that required to construct sluice gates. After construction, ponds were prepared with applications of lime and fertilizer before stocking seed collected from the wild about one week after fertilization. Although current pond designs remain similar to initial ponds, the size was increased to commercial scale (1200 m2) through the support of the KCDP over the last three years (Mirera 2016). The larger size has also taken into consideration the original concerns about mangrove conservation that were envisioned in the development of milkfish farming in Kenya. Milkfish Seed Sources There is no marine hatchery on the coast of Kenya, likely related to the high investment costs required to operate the facility and the unwillingness of the government to prioritize mariculture development. Therefore, most of the research and production of milkfish on the coast depends solely on seed sources from wild stocks. Seed are collected by fishers in natural intertidal pools and shallow mangrove channels during incoming tides or at low tides (Fig. 3). Push nets and small seines are employed to collect seed, which are in most cases of variable sizes and at times species (Mirera 2011a). Collected milkfish seed are quickly sorted to release non-target species before packaging and transport to farms for further sorting and stocking in ponds. Fingerling surveys conducted along the coast of Kenya have indicated seasonal appearance of milkfish. The most abundant season is in March — July while the less abundant season is September — December (Mirera 2011a). This indicates that farmers must undertake proper planning to benefit from the seasonal occurrence of milkfish seed or production may not be achieved in the farm for a whole year. Feeds and Feeding Milkfish is well known as a herbivorous fish that feeds at a low trophic level. Farming of milkfish in Kenya has over the last decade has depended on natural feeds, mainly lab-lab (benthic algae) that is developed through pond fertilization (Mirera (CONTINUED ON PAGE 50) To enhance milkfish production in Kenya, farmers have been empowered to manage their fishponds and to make feeds locally at the farm using ingredients available in the village. Current production is based on collection of wild milkfish seed that are stocked at 3 fish/m2 and fed at 3 percent of body weight per day using locally formulated feeds that are produced by the community through on-farm training. FIGURE 4. Trend in milkfish production in Kenya between 2005 and 2015 (Kwetu Training Centre, WIOMSA, NCST, KCDP/KMFRI). FIGURE 5. Quantities and value of the milkfish produced by Kibokoni, Umoja selfhelp group between 2012 and 2015 (NCST and KCDP projects, Mirera 2016).
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