WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • JUNE 2017 19 sufficient for production of Asian seabass, fry production of groupers remains insufficient. Local fry production can only meet 20 percent of current demand. The few local hatcheries producing grouper fingerlings only run less than three cycles per year. From newly-hatched larvae to 8-10 cm juveniles, 4-5 months are required, with numerous feeding and grading protocols. The average success rate is usually 5 percent. Hence, on average, backyard hatcheries produce only 5000 to 20,000 juveniles per cycle. There are several large marine fish producers, such as Goh Siong Tee group Sdn Bhd (GST), KS Aquaculture Sdn Bhd, Aqua Ceria Sdn Bhd, Fishance Sdn Bhd and the KLSE-listed Borneo Aqua Harvest Berhad. There are also numerous family-owned small- and medium-scale farms. Large fish farms are integrated with hatcheries and processing plants, enabling them to strictly control quality in their production chain. GST is the market leader farming various species from Asian seabass to snappers certified by Friends of the Sea (FOS). Fishance is a newly established foreign venture company producing mainly hybrid groupers in Langkawi. Despite many opportunities, challenges for the marine fish industry are fluctuations in fish prices and market demand, and frequent disease outbreaks. The major diseases are VNN (Nervous Necrotic Virus), Iridovirus sp, Streptococcus inae, Vibriosis, marine leeches, isopods, Benedinia sp, and copepods. Nevertheless, the marine fish industry in Malaysia will continue to increase production and take advantage of its strategic location, calm stable weather, political stability, skilled labor and a strong domestic market. Tilapia Two species of tilapia are farmed: red tilapia Oreochromis niloticus and black tilapia O. mossambicus. In addition, there are improved strains such as the GIFT Nile tilapia, Taiwanese red strain and other hybrids. The GIFT variety was introduced to Malaysia by the Worldfish Center in 2002 (Anonymous 2003b). The government research station, located in Penang, is continuously working with DOF on genetic improvement of the GIFT strain. In addition, researchers at FRI Glemi Lemi are also working on genetic improvement of red strains of tilapia. This development gives tilapia farmers options on strains to culture, based on market demand and environmental conditions. There is also the development of StrepToVax vaccine to combat streptococcosis, production of all-male tilapia using YY males, selective breeding programs to produce fast-growing red tilapia, application of environmental friendly modular culture systems, and improved or value-added products from tilapia. Production of tilapia are mainly from ponds (20,516 t), followed by freshwater cages (7,412 t), ex-mining pools (7,668 t), cement tanks (3,487 t), canvas tank (226 t) and pen culture (<10 t). It is also expected that the production of this fish will increase in the future due to industrialization of the sector. Currently there are two large commercial farms producing tilapia in floating cages in Temenggor and Kenyir Lakes. The total potential production capacity is 50,000 t/year. TOP and BOTTOM: The red tilapia Oreochromis niloticus is farmed in ponds and cages. Markets are mainly local restaurants. Picture credit, Abdullah Rahim, UPM Cage culture of tilapia at Trapia in Lake Temenggor. The company is a subsidiary of Genomar, Norway. Feeding tilapia farmed in cages, Picture credit, Abdullah Rahim, UPM (CONTINUED ON PAGE 20)
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