WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • JUNE 2019 39 The FAO and the Philippines national government have recognized the need for aquaculture to address the emerging problems brought about by climate change. Among the existing projects of the FAO in the Philippines is one aimed at building capacity for climate-resilience in farmed tilapia and another on enhancing climate-resilient agri-fisheries (FAO 2017; Table 3). The SEAFDEC/AQD (2016) also has several projects under the theme of adapting to climate change. Prospects for the Future In the Regional Technical Consultation on Sustainable Aquaculture Development in Southeast Asia Towards 2020 hosted by the SEAFDEC in Tigbauan, Iloilo in 2011, the panel identified four key themes or crucial issues that will be faced by the aquaculture industry in the coming years: 1) social and economic challenges, 2) quality seed production for sustainability, 3) a “healthy and wholesome” industry, and 4) environmental protection and adaptation to climate change (Acosta et al. 2011). For aquaculture in the country to truly flourish, it has to be truly responsive to these issues. Given increasing awareness of the link between aquaculture and biodiversity, the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP), which is the country’s obligation as a party state to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), offers unique opportunities. Table 4 shows program interventions in the PBSAP that are related to aquaculture. Many of these are collaborations among different entities, including private groups and government agencies. They also enable the Philippines to meet the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets set by the CBD and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Philippines national government. This is indicative of the synergy that the aquaculture industry must achieve within its own management structures and with other sectors to address the multidimensional problems that it continues to encounter. ferritin, and fortilin-binding protein showed differential expressions between surviving shrimp and control shrimp of some genes that are associated with bacterial infection and environmental stress. The SEAFDEC/AQD had several programs involving molecular tools for aquaculture, including one on development of diagnostic tools for shrimp pathogens using nested PCR and lateral flow strip biosensors and another on development and application of molecular markers in broodstock management of milkfish (SEAFDEC/AQD 2016). Climate Change Effects on Aquaculture Higher water temperatures are detrimental to egg survival of milkfish, Asian seabass and rabbitfish (SEAFDEC/AQD 2016). Also, because of its geographical location and geologic history, the Philippines is at high risk from natural hazards like typhoons (Andriesse and Lee 2017). The exposure of the country and its resources to storms has necessitated more research on how extreme weather events affect the resources themselves and their economic characteristics. The Philippines is at a high risk of fisheries-related food security problems associated with climate change (Ding et al. 2017). This is the result of the high dependence of the population on marine fisheries for nutrition and the reliance of the Philippine aquaculture on high employment in marine fisheries. Viability of the seaweed value chain in Iloilo in the face of recurring typhoons is limited (Andriesse and Lee 2017). Since the devastating typhoon Yolanda (Hainan) in 2003, farmers have had to rely on inefficient horizontal coordination with fisherfolk associations and support from international civil society organizations. Enhanced information dissemination and greater cooperation with the public sector are essential. What makes the problem worse is that many of the other issues faced by aquaculture, such as proliferation of invasive species and diseases and biodiversity losses, are closely coupled with and can be exacerbated by climate change (Williams et al. 2016, Ding et al. 2017). TABLE 3. FAO aquaculture projects in the Philippines. Modified from FAO (2017). Project title Start and end years Donor/s Budget (in US$) Building capacities for a climate resilient 2015 to 2017 FAO 226,000 tilapia farming in the Philippines Reducing and managing the risks of 2015 to 2017 FAO 422,000 Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND) of cultured shrimp Strengthening capacities, policies and 2017 Multilateral: Netherlands 566,714 national action plans on aquatic AMR Support for enhancing climate-resilient 2017 Philippines 4,107,659 agri-fisheries in the Philippines Promote scaling-up of innovative rice-fish farming 2017 to 2018 FAO 490,000 and climate resilient tilapia pond culture practices for blue growth in Asia (CONTINUED ON PAGE 40)
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