Diseases of Penaeus monodon in Taiwan：A review from 1977 to 1991. In：W. Fulks and K. L. Main (eds.)

Abstract

Penaeus monodon, the grass prawn, is an economically important prawn species in Taiwan. Production increased steadily from 1968, when artificial propagation techniques were established, through 1987. In the late 1980s, Taiwan became the world leader in cultured prawn production, with a peak production, for P. monodon alone, of 95,000 MT in 1987. A year later, however, an unexpected mass mortality occurred, displacing not only many prawn farms but also several sub-businesses in the prawn culture industry. The collapse of the industry was attributed to both pathogenic and nonpathogenic factors. This review describes some grass prawn diseases and disease syndromes reported in Taiwan from 1977 to 1991, including the pathogenic factors that most likely precipitated the 1988 crisis, and the treatments being used.