42 SEPTEMBER • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG Introduction Every year, over 121,000 tons of polychaetes are harvested from mudflats and coastal ponds to meet the rising global demand for bait and aquaculture feed. These segmented marine worms, once underappreciated, are now recognized as key players in sustainable aquaculture (Mandario 2020). Polychaetes make up approximately 80% of the total macrobenthic community in some areas (Pawar et al. 2022). While most of them thrive in the marine environment, some also inhabit freshwater and brackish areas (Verdonschot 2015). They are important components of the marine ecosystem as their burrowing activities play a role in sediment dynamics, influencing nutrient cycling and ecosystem health (Górska et al. 2019; Hamdy et al. 2018). However, the importance of polychaetes is not just limited to being drivers of marine benthic ecosystems. Beyond their biodiversity, polychaetes play a vital role in fishing and aquaculture. Polychaetes offer unique advantages in aquaculture due to their reproductive efficiency, high nutritional value, adaptability to diverse environmental conditions, and potential role in bioremediation (Jackqulinwino and Ahilan 2024). Polychaetes typically have short reproductive cycles and high fecundity, allowing rapid, efficient offspring production in controlled settings. Moreover, they display various reproductive strategies, including high egg production rates and fast larval development. This can then help in providing a sustainable supply in aquaculture without overexploiting wild populations. In addition, polychaetes are rich in protein and lipid content, as well as vitamins and minerals, making them a sustainable alternative for fish-based feeds. Due to their high omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content, they are often referred to as omega worms. Polychaetes also possess remarkable adaptability to varying environmental conditions and can tolerate fluctuations in water quality, making them highly suitable for aquaculture systems. Their ability to thrive in diverse habitats minimizes the risks associated with disease outbreaks and environmental stressors, thereby enhancing the stability and sustainability of aquaculture operations. Furthermore, they can serve as bioremediators in aquaculture systems by removing organic wastes and excess nutrients from water bodies. Through this activity, polychaetes can help maintain water quality in aquaculture tanks (Jackqulinwino and Ahilan 2024). Aside from their role in aquaculture, polychaetes are widely used as fresh bait in the fishing industry (Figure 1). Their well-balanced nutritional profile and high-protein content makes them superior to artificial feeds (Sivalakshmi et al. 2024). In fact, it has been reported that 60 species of polychaetes are used in the fishing and aquaculture industry globally (Pawar et al. 2022). In the Philippines, local fishermen have developed different From Bait to Breakthrough: How Polychaetes are Revolutionizing Philippine Aquaculture Irnes Rebien H. Bailon, Rochelle A. Jabines and Janice A. Ragaza FIGURE 1. Polychaete being attached to a fishing hook to be used as a fishing bait. Photo credit: I. R. Bailon. FIGURE 2. Fisherman using fresh fish flesh in collecting polychaetes from sandy shores to be used as fishing bait. Photo credit: I. R. Bailon.
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