Penaeus monodon culture in Taiwan：Through two decades of growth

Abstract

The culture of grass prawn, Penaeus monodon, in Taiwan has a history spanning only two decades, beginning in 1968 when this species was first artificially propagated and the first hatchery was put up. Production volume rose steeply especially in the second decade, during which Taiwan became the world leader in prawn culture production. The industry had been expanding steadily, uninterrupted, until 1988, when unexpected mass mortality struck the P. monodon farms and pushed export volume down by some 80%. This paper discusses the favorable features of P. monodon and the reasons why it is an ideal species for culture. It also traces the development of the industry through those two decades, outlining the evolution of culture practices. The following aspects are covered: broodstock, hatchery, feeding, grow-out, harvesting and marketing. The paper looks into several factors which have most likely precipitated the recent crisis, as well as various constructive measures being taken to recover and learn from it.