WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • JUNE 2017 21 m, the semi-floating approach is preferred. The third method is raft or floating material to which planting material is tied to. The growth period is 2 to 3 months, resulting in annual production of about three cycles per year. Seaweed cultivation does not need to be a high-cost venture. There is little management involved except prevention of attack from predators and occasionally the threat of seaweed disease. The demand for seaweed in Sabah is improving following the increase in demand for various usages in the world. The product reaches overseas markets in the Philippines, Demark, Spain, Hong Kong and South Korea. Ornamental Fish Malaysia is a major global producer and exporter of various ornamental fish, with 9 percent of the global trade. Currently it holds the number two position in the world after Singapore. Export markets cover more than 30 countries around the world such as the UK, US, Germany, Italy, Hong Kong, Spain, Japan and Taiwan. The annual export value during the last five years was between RM 8-10 billion (USD 2-2.5 billion). In 2015, Malaysia produced 383 million pieces of ornamental fish and 371 million bunches of aquatic plants. This came from the sale of about 500 million tails of ornamental tropical fishes annually. These consisted of more than 550 local and exotic varieties comprising over 250 species. More than 70 percent of ornamental species produced are exported. Among the top three leading species are golden arowana Scleropages formosus or ikan kelisa emas in Malay, various goldfish and discus. The export revenue from ornamental fish and aquatic plants is growing at an average of 20 percent/year, a trend that has encouraged the government to support an increase in farming area. Giant Malaysian Prawn The giant Malaysian prawn or Macrobrachium rosenbergii is a heritage species and a valuable aquatic genetic resource in Malaysian waters. It has a long farming history but has yet to reach farming at a commercial level. Farming intensity ranges from extensive to semiintensive in 0.2-0.3 ha earthen ponds. Farmers stock post-larvae (PL1520) and begin partial harvest after the third month. There are three to five partial harvests during the 6-7 month culture period. Production ranges between 1-2 t/ha with average survival of 20-30 percent. With a current farming area of about 1500 ha, the annual production ranges from 300-500 t, valued at nearly USD 3 million. Farm productivity is directly linked to fry supply. Today there are only ten active smallscale hatcheries producing close to 50 million post-larvae annually. Post-larvae production is hampered by the total dependence on wild gravid females as broodstock. Under the recent five-year government aquaculture food production and development program 2016-2020, the potential of the giant prawn was highlighted. The transformation is targeted for production of 500 t with R&D on genetics and a broodstock development program. Green Mussel The green mussel Perna canaliculus is the second most important bivalve species in Malaysia after the blood cockle Anadara granosa. Seed or spat are collected on ropes suspended from rafts or racks. Mussels reach marketable size in 6-8 months. With concern about the food safety of mussels cultured in open waters close to main rivers, the government has legislated that the shellfish industry adopt measures such as depuration. The main culture area is in the Johore Strait bordering Singapore, representing natural grounds for mussel propagation. To improve farming in that locality, in 2012 DOF introduced Smart Farm technology for high-density culture from Norway. With this technology spat are collected using long-line netting suspended at a depth of about 5 m from polyethylene pipes floating on the water surface. Each of these longlines extend for 0.5-1 km length for productive spat collection. Government Support for Aquaculture Development There is strong government support for aquaculture development. As part of the agro-food sector, aquaculture development is under Malaysia’s Agro-food Transformation Programs which in turn is under the umbrella of the Economic Transformation Program. The Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-food Industry (MOA) has formulated the National Agro-food Policy until 2020 (NAP 2020). The policy covers the period from 2011 to 2020 and seeks to gradually transform the sector to meet national needs for food security as well as international challenges. At the national level, the Department of Fisheries has the responsibility to develop the fisheries and aquaculture industry. Inland aquaculture development is the responsibility of the Department of Agriculture & Inland Fisheries Sarawak while the Department of Fisheries Sabah is responsible for both aquaculture and fisheries development in that state. DOF has four research centers under the Fisheries Research Institute that focu on different areas of research, such as brackishwater aquaculture at the center in Gelang Patah, marine finfish aquaculture at the center in Tanjong Demong, crustacean and mollusk aquaculture research at Pulau TOP and BOTTOM: Malaysia is a major global producer and exporter of various ornamental fish industry led by the endemic Golden Arowana. Picture credit, DOF. (CONTINUED ON PAGE 22)
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