Page 69 - FAO Aquaculture News, May 2021 - No. 63

GLO/979/NOR: “Improving Biosecurity Governance and
Legal Framework for Efficient and Sustainable Aquaculture
Production” that was held from 16–18 December 2019 at the FAO FAO 2021
Headquarters in Rome, Italy. The meeting was attended by 43 Tilapia Aquaculture in Mexico -
experts from 22 countries, representing governance authorities, Assessment with a focus on social and
intergovernmental organizations, academia, research institutions economic performance
and the private sector. Twenty presentations were delivered, Martínez-Cordero, F.J., Delgadillo, T.S.,
namely: (1) National Competent Authority: role and experiences; Sanchez-Zazueta, E. and Cai, J. 2021.
(2) Inter-governmental organization: role and activities/experiences
related to investigating specific mass mortalities of aquatic animals; FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular
(3) Producer and research/academic sectors: role and activities/ No. 1219.
experiences related to investigating specific mass mortalities of
aquatic animalsand (4) Global Burden of Animal Diseases (GBAD). Tilapias are the second-largest species group in Mexico’s
The meeting successfully achieved its objective of taking stock aquaculture; Mexico is the second-largest tilapia capture fisheries
and sharing experiences and lessons learned which were used country; Mexico is the second-largest international market for
for generating recommendations for the further development tilapia products; and per capita tilapia consumption in Mexico is
and improvement of the draft FAO Decision-tree for dealing three times of the world average. This document assesses tilapia
with aquatic animal mortality events and supporting guidance. farming and the value chain in Mexico by examining tilapia farming
The meeting generated an annotated table of contents for this systems and practices, dissecting the tilapia value chain, evaluating
decision-tree document with the following major sections, namely: the sector’s social and economic performance, discussing the
impacts of proper governance and institutions on the sector
Publications Phase); Decision-tree for Mass Mortality Events; Conducting Field challenges in the development of tilapia farming or aquaculture in
Introduction; Phases in an Emergency; Elements of an Emergency
development, and highlighting potentials, issues, constraints and
Response (Preparedness Phase, Response Phase, Recovery
general. The document ends with a brief discussion of the impacts
Investigation; Tools and Guidance; and Case Study Examples. It is
of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the tilapia
expected that this document will be made available in 2021.
industry in the country.
The PDF can be accessed directly at:
www.fao.org/3/cb2612en/CB2612EN.pdf
www.fao.org/3/cb3290en/cb3290en.pdf
The document card can be found here: The PDF can be accessed directly at:
www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cb2612en/ The document card can be found here:
www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cb3290en
FAO Circulars

FAO 2021
Fish waste management –
Assessment on potential production
and utilization of fish silage in FAO 2020
Bangladesh, Philippines and Thailand Shrimp acute hepatopancreatic
Islam, J., Yap, E.E.S., Krongpong, L., necrosis disease strategy manual
Toppe, J. and Peñarubia, O.R. 2021. Fish Tang, K.F.J. ; Bondad-Reantaso, M.G. ;
waste management – An assessment of Arthur, J.R. ; MacKinnon, B. ; Hao, B. ;
the potential production and utilization Alday-Sanz, V. ; Liang, Y. ; Dong, X.
of fish silage in Bangladesh, Philippines
and Thailand. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular No. 1216. The contents of this Shrimp acute hepatopancreatic necrosis
disease strategy manual provides information and guidance
relevant to the development of policies to respond to outbreaks
The production of fish silage using organic acid is a good example of acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) in farmed
of the simple and inexpensive conversion processes which can marine shrimp. The etiologic agents for AHPND are virulent strains
be employed. Fish silage production uses minced by-products of bacteria belonging to the genus Vibrio parahaemolyticus and
or minced whole fish unsuitable for human consumption as raw related species, which harbor specific toxin genes. While these
material, before adding a preservative to stabilize the mixture – bacterial species are part of the normal microflora of the marine
usually an organic acid such as formic acid. The process breaks environment, they may cause substantial mortalities in whiteleg
down protein into free amino acids and small-chain peptides shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) and giant tiger prawn (Penaeus
which have nutritional and antimicrobial properties, therefore, the monodon) cultured in countries in Asia and the Americas. These
fish silage can be used as healthy feed and fertilizer. The feasibility strains of these Vibrio bacteria secrete a PirABvp binary toxin
studies on fish waste management in Bangladesh, Philippines resulting in sloughing of tubule epithelial cells and dysfunctions
and Thailand outline existing good practices on the utilization of of the hepatopancreas in the acute form; mortality can reach
by-products and fish waste. Furthermore, the insights provided 100 percent in affected ponds. Chronic presentation of this
on the potential production and utilization of fish silage in each disease involves secondary bacterial infection of hepatopancreas
country are promising in terms of increasing the productivity of the and running mortality over the culture cycle. Acute or chronic
fisheries sector, reducing post-harvest waste, increasing economic presentation would greatly depend on the culture conditions. This
value and improving environment sustainability.
disease can be considered a toxicosis rather than an infection.
The PDF can be accessed directly at: Economic losses due to this disease have amounted to over
www.fao.org/3/cb3694en/cb3694en.pdf USD 7 billion annually. Further outbreaks of AHPND, particularly in
areas that are currently free of the disease, would be expected to
The document card can be found here: experience similar devastating effects on local shrimp producers
www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cb3694en and the surrounding communities; and thus, there is an urgent
need to develop a contingency plan to control and eradicate
this disease. This manual includes information on: 1) the nature
of AHPND: a brief review of current knowledge in disease

68 FAO AQUACULTURE NEWS – Nº. 63 ■ MAY 2021