General introduction to the prawn pond system in Taiwan

Abstract

The remarkable achievements of prawn culture in recent years in Taiwan have been widely recognized. In 1984, the annual production of the grass prawn Penaeus monodon alone reached 18 000 tonnes, making it one of the most important and fastest growing aquaculture items. Its production is still increasing and its importance will continue to grow in the coming years.

When considering the progress of prawn culture, aquaculture engineering problems such as pond construction, water inlet and outlet systems, and aeration systems are of great concern. An introduction to prawn pond construction and accessory equipment in Taiwan is given, and a comparison with the representative prawn pond systems in Japan and Hawaii is made. The present problems faced in these areas and possible solutions are also discussed.