Leisure mullet (Mugil cephalus) aquaculture business in Taiwan – Additional avenue towards sustainability.

Abstract

中文摘要儘管烏魚的捕撈時間短，漁場有限，捕穫量每年波動，但美味的曬乾烏魚子及其相關的美食文化一直維持著烏魚的捕撈漁業和加工業。20世紀70年代，為滿足對於海洋魚類繁殖技術的科學探索願望，一系列關於烏魚人工繁殖的先驅性研究積極開展了。然而，儘管如此，由於經濟上的不可行性，烏魚養殖商業化生產並沒有進展。直到80年代後期，池塘中養成全雌性幼魚的技術以及配製促進性成熟飼料的技術建立了，使烏魚的卵巢得以最佳發育方才實現。接着烏魚養殖就獲得了可觀的產量，给加工業以及當地和國際市場提供了額外的供應。近20年來，捕撈漁業和水產養殖的烏魚年總產量保持相對穩定，約為3000噸，其中70%來自後者。與臺灣主要養殖魚類如鰻魚、吳郭魚、虱目魚和石斑魚的養殖產業的發展不同，烏魚養殖產量並沒有顯著的增長。該養殖產業增長緩慢可歸諸於僅針對烏魚子這有限的特定市場，養出孕卵烏魚須時長達 2-3年，以及相對緩慢和較小的現金流和狹窄的獲利率。近年來，休閒養殖業的投入，顯著的改變了烏魚養殖場的生產格局，包括養殖方式、經營管理等，深化了對加工和銷售的參與。這種業務多樣化拓寬了產品市場和利潤，也加強了烏魚養殖產業的靱性和可持續性。AbstractThe delicacy, sundried mullet roe and its associated gourmet culture, has sustained mullet capture fishery and processing industry for centuries despite the short fishing duration, limited fishing ground and yearly fluctuation in harvest. In the 1970’s, a series pioneer studies on the artificial propagation of mullet was aggressively conducted to fulfill the desire of scientific exploration of the said technology in marine fish. In spite of this, however, commercial mullet aquaculture production did not progress due to economic infeasibility. It was not until the late 1980’s when the technologies to produce all female juveniles for pond grow-out and to formulate maturation diet which enables optimal ovary development were established. Sizeable mullet aquaculture production was then obtained to provide extra supply for the processing industry and to the local and international market as well. For the recent 20 years, annual total mullet production from capture fishery and aquaculture remains relatively stable at around 3000 MT, of which 70% comes from the latter. Not like the growth of major finfish aquaculture in Taiwan such as eel, tilapia, milkfish and groupers, no remarkable expansion has been seen in mullet aquaculture production. Slow growth of the industry can be attributed to the limited niche market solely for the roe, the long grow-out period of 2-3 years for the gravid female mullet, and the relatively slow and small cash flow and narrow profit margin. In recent years, the engagement of leisure aquaculture business has significantly changed the production pattern of the mullet farms, including culture practices, operation and management, and deepened the involvement in processing and marketing. Such diversification of business has broadened product market and profit and also strengthened the resilience and sustainability of mullet aquaculture.