Brunei's Local News - Brudirect.com

Bandar Seri Begawan - Officers from the Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources and the Integrated Aquaculture International (IAI), United States of America have convened an International Workshop on Shrimp Nutrition held in the country from Nov 4 to 6.

The workshop has attracted over 40 participants globally, which includes Brazil, Mexico, Peru, USA, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, China and neighboring countries in Southeast-Asia.

Another 30 representatives comprising government officials, local shrimp operators and other agencies also attended the workshop.

Present as the guest of honor was Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Hamid bin Haji Mohd Jaafar, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources.

The opening ceremony began with the recital of surah al-Fatihah followed by a welcoming speech

by the Director of Fisheries, Hajah Hasnah binti Ibrahim and opening remarks by the guest of honor.

Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Hamid in his speech said that he was pleased to collaborate with IAI on such a program with black tiger shrimps.

"Our goal is to develop a package of technology including health management, genetic selection, advanced grow-out systems, high-performing feeds, and processing for premium international markets."

Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Hamid said that the project has so far made excellent progress, while the Aquatic Animal Health laboratory and quarantine facilities have successfully produced F2 families of black tiger shrimps which are free from nine viruses and two disease syndromes.

"These animals have entered the breeding facilities where they will form the foundation of a biosecured selective breeding program," said Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Hamid.

He also said that other aspects of the program include working on advanced pond designs with water treatment, plastic liners, self-cleaning drains, and more efficient aerators. Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Hamid said that the ministry is currently in the process of developing a new 220-hectare site, which will be built with the best designs, while a new processing plant is also nearing completion.

The international workshop on shrimp nutrition is in line with the commitment of the Department of Fisheries to assist and develop the shrimp farming industry in Brunei Darussalam.

The objective of the workshop is to improve understanding of the status of the global shrimp feed industry on research, latest technologies, feed mills plant and production cost, to strengthen local capabilities for shrimp feed management, exchange information on the latest shrimp feed and strengthen networking between local and international producers and experts. Fisheries and aquaculture play an important role in Brunei's economic diversification initiative.

The Sultanate enjoys a tropical climate with nearly optimal year-round growing season for marine shrimp.

The Fisheries Department stated that although Brunei's land area is too small to aspire to become a major aquaculture producer, the department feels that they have a role in developing advanced technology for producing high value end products.

The focus of the workshop is to discuss the nutrition component of the program. This is a crucial element because feeds represent 50 to 60 per cent of the operating costs of shrimp farms.

In addition, raw material costs are highly variable due to the increasing use of starches and oils for bio-energy and the shortage of fishmeal and oil.

With the economic crisis at present, there is a need to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

The three-day workshop will feature lectures and paper works by eminent scientists and global experts including Dr Ron Hardy, Dr Bob Swick, Singapore; Dr Sergio Nates, National Renderers Association in the US and Dr Peter Coutteau, INVE in Belgium and feed technology experts, Tim O'Keefe, American Soybean Association in the US; Paul Chen, Wenger in the US and Richard Rossi, Feedsoft.

The workshop began with a full day of lectures on the global status of shrimp nutrition. On November 6, the workshop participants will be visiting the Department of Fisheries Shrimp Nutrition Research Centre (SNRC), quarantine and breeding facilities, the local shrimp hatchery and the department's Diagnostic Laboratory to see the development of the aquaculture industry in Brunei.

Highlights of the tour will be the newly designed Shrimp Nutrition Research Centre (SNRC), which houses 40 microcosm tanks.

The centre provides the Fisheries Department to investigate as many as 60-80 feeds a year. In addition, the centre will also have a dedicated space for conducting trials on larval shrimp, and systems for testing at tractability and palatability of shrimp feed ingredients.

The centre will have equipment for the production of experimental feeds. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin