Milkfish fry production in Taiwan. In：C.S. Lee, M.S. Su and I C. Liao (eds.)

Abstract

In Taiwan, the demand for milkfish ( Chanos chanos) fry is more than 100 million per year. These fry are either supplied by hatcheries, collected from coastal areas, or imported from Southeast Asian countries. The milkfish hatchery industry in Taiwan is usually subdivided into two: farms that specialize in broodstock maintenance for egg production and farms that specialize in larval rearing. Total sales are either equally shared between these two types of farms or shared at a 4:6 ratio. Such well-organized setups enhance the efficiency of fry production in milkfish. The important factors affecting egg production of milkfish are broodstock maintenance and management, weather, and salinity. Semiintensive outdoor pond systems for larval rearing are widely used by hatchery operators. Various cultivated microorganisms in outdoor ponds are collected as main food fauna for larvae. Oyster eggs could also be supplied as a supplementary food for early-stage milkfish larvae. The most critical factors affecting the survival rate of larvae in outdoor systems are heavy rainfall at early larval stage and diatom bloom. From 1991, the mass production of fertilized eggs and a well-established larval rearing system have made possible the production of milkfish fry to meet the domestic market demands. The success of mass milkfish fry production is a milestone in its culture history.