April 5, 2013
USSEC to implement SEA aquaculture programme
The US Soybean Export Council''s (USSEC) has increased efforts towards implementing its Southeast Asian (SEA) aquaculture programme.
Late last year, with the project in stagnation since its beginning in 2009, USSEC begun a new approach which consisted of choosing a single hatchery to work with per target nation.
The benefits are to provide better assistance in improving operations.
The SEA aquaculture programme is an effort by the USSEC to induce a shift from the traditional feeding practices of using fresh seafood on cultured fish, to using soy-optimised formulated feeds.
In December 2012, the USSEC choses 88 Feed Mill and 88 Hatchery, in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, as their prototype in the project. In December, officials from USSEC visited the hatchery and feed mill to discuss the brood stock feeding trial, where the USSEC chose the party to develop the formulated brood stock feeds. The USSEC said that hatcheries, which use formulated feeds for broodstock, should eliminate the need for fresh seafood to be used as a feed source.
"Critical to hatchery improvement is the need for better feeds to be developed for the hatchery brood stock. Marine fish brood stock generally takes 2-7 years to develop, so eliminating a possible disease vector and developing a feed that will help brooder mature more quickly and optimise their spawning condition is important," added USSEC.
A recent visit was made to the feed mill by USSEC feed specialist, Mark Newman, with the purpose of providing technical support in preparation for its formulation of the brood stock diets. The goal is to have the diets implemented in the target hatchery in April 2013.