Seaweed Farming

The following are the eight steps in farming eucheuma seaweeds: 1. Selection of site 2. Acquisition of permit to farm 3. Preparation of required materials 4. Clearing and posting 5. Preparation of seedlings and planting 6. Building a farm house 7. Maintenance of planted seaweeds 8. Harvesting and drying

SELECTION OF SITE Site selection is one of the most important factors in seaweed farming. In selecting the site, the following factors are to be considered: 1. The area should be free from pollution caused by floods, rivers, and such other sources of water pollution that would be detrimental to the growth of seaweeds. Furthermore, freshwater from rivers or creeks will decrease the salinity of seawater and its temperature thus causing to seaweeds. The temperature of the seawater should be between 27° and 30° Centigrade and the salinity should be maintained at 30 to 34 parts per thousand (PPT). 2. The area must be well-protected from tidal waves and strong winds coming from an open sea. There should be an island or coral reefs to act as barriers during low tide to cover the area in order to prevent destruction and/or disturbance of seaweeds planted. Wave action greatly affects the growth of seaweeds and usually destroys them. 3. There must be enough water current that will bring in food with a velocity of 20 to 40 meters per minute which can bend eel grasses to a 45 degree angle. Eucheuma seaweeds eat their food from water nutrients through tiny pores within their body and these nutrients are brought in by water current. Furthermore, euchema maintains cleanliness and freshness of seawater. 4. Local residents must be asked to determine whether there were wild eucheuma previously growing in the area which would be more advantageous to the project. In case no wild eucheuma were growing in the area test on some plants must be conducted to determine their growth rate. The test period should be from two (2) to six (6) weeks. 5. Sea bottom must be covered with some dead finger corals and coarser sand and should be rocky not muddy, with few vegetations preferably only of the species of brown, red and green algae. 6. The depthness of the water at lowest tide mark should be at least 1 1/2 to 3 feet (45 cm to 90 cm.) to the highest tide mark of at least 7 feet (210 cm.). It should be determined so that seaweeds will not be over exposed to sunlight and air during low tide but should be exposed to enough sunlight penetration during high tide. 7. Test plants of eucheuma seaweeds should be done in the proposed area. Weigh your seedlings first and tie them to corals. As recommended, seedlings should weigh from 150 to 200 grams from fresh branches. These will be placed in different parts of the proposed area with a distance of at least 10 meters apart. Every week, these test plants should be weighed until the sixth week to determine the average daily growth rate. If the daily growth rate is from 2.5% to 4%, then the area is suitable for commercial seaweed farming. 

 ACQUISITION OF PERMIT TO FARM The proposed area must be surveyed by a geodetic engineer to determine the area's bearings and the exact size intended for the project. Once location bearing is determined including the total area in square meters, the applicant should acquire an official application form from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). He can then prepare all the necessary requirements as provided for by law. Guidelines promulgated by the (BFAR) must be followed to the fullest to avoid cancellation of the application. It should be noted that the application should be approved first before a permit is issued and before commercial farming commences. 

 PREPARATION OF REQUIRED MATERIALS The following materials must be prepared based on a one hectare seaweeds farm: 1. 1,200 mangrove posts measuring more or less 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 1 meter in length 2. 20 kilograms of nylon line number 150 to 200 3. 20 kilograms of plastic tie straw 4. one banca 5. 40,000 seedlings weighing from 150-200 grams each or a total equivalence of 6.000 kilograms 6. markers and signboard 7. seedling bed for at least 25 square meters or a floating bamboo seedbed. 8. 2 pointed iron or locally called "baras" 9. 2 bull hammer weighing 5 kilograms 

 CLEARING AND POSTING Clear the area of other species of seaweed, predators, big stones or corals, and other foreign materials that are destructive to seaweeds. After clearing the area, measure the farm to the correct dimensions. Commence posting by using pointed iron bars or "baras". There wilt be two types of postings, either nylon lines wilt be parallel to the water current or perpendicular to the water current. Either type of posting is applicable to monoline-bottom farming which is widely and commonly used because this is economical and well-protected. There is another common method of farming that is the off-bottom bamboo floating method. This method however, is not recommended because it is expensive compared to bottom method and also, this is destructive to fishermen's passage.In posting, distances between posts holding one end of the nylon to the other, is one meter apart and with a side distance of at least five to 10 meters. Each post must be buried more or less six meters deep. One problem in posting is the rocky sea bottom. To push the pointer iron bar use a heavy bull hammer. Then put the wooden post. Cover the total proposed area with posts before planting the seedlings. 

 SEEDLING PREPARATION AND PLANTING Seedlings must come from a variety that has been proven to grow fast in the area. It must also come from the nearest source to avoid higher mortality and expenses when transporting to the area. However, a seedling bed should be prepared first before any transport of seedling to the area is done. The area will serve as a storing place of seaweed seedlings before planting. The transport of seedlings is the most risky part of the process. There are factors to consider exposure to direct heat, wind over handling, and length of time off seawater. Seaweeds get their food from seawater brought in by water current so that once they are off the water for more than 12 hours and without pouring seawater into them in-between, seedlings will die. If the seedlings are placed in a container with inadequate ventilation, packed with too much pressure or there is an increase in temperature in the container, seaweed seedlings wilt die. Another factor is, when they are dipped in or wetted with fresh water or rain or any other liquid aside from seawater, they will die due to changes in salinity. The manner of transporting seedlings commonly used and recommended are: 1. When the time required for transporting seedlings 6 is eight (8) hours or less, then use a bamboo basket or wider bancas, covering them with cloth wet with seawater or any cotton made materials to avoid its exposure to sunlight and/or wind. In every one to two hours, wet them by pouring fresh seawater to maintain the temperature and the freshness of the seaweeds. 2. When the time required is more than eight hours but less than 36 hours, then use jute bags. Place the seedlings loosely inside the bags and dip it in seawater before loading them. While on transport, pour fresh seawater to the bag every three to four hours to maintain the temperature and the freshness of the seaweeds. It should be noted that these bags should be placed in cool, well covered and spacious portion of the boat, seeing to it that they are not placed one on top of the other. 3. When seedlings are transported for more than 36 hours, it is advisable that a plastic bag with corals and coarser sand inside is advisable. However, this type of transport is not recommended for commercial farming because it is expensive. All transported seedlings should be placed immediately in the seedling bed. However, it is advisable that the seedlings are planted immediately to the area. Storing the seedlings in the seedling bed for more days will cause them to die especially that they are placed close to each other. Usually, minimum mortality on transported seedlings is 20 to 30 percent. Split unsplitted seedlings to desired weight and size. Tie the seedlings with straw and place them in a separate container in the area. Common ways of tying seedlings to nylon lines: 1. Underwater, fastened a nylon line to the post. The planter will bring in the seedlings to the area and tie them to the nylon line. This procedure is advisable only when the tide is down and the current is not strong. 2. Or, place a nylon line between posts off the water and tie the seedlings to the line. After completely tying all the seedlings to line, place both ends of the nylon line to the opposite posts underwater. This way is good for all tidal positions except when raining or exposed to direct sunlight. 3. Or, tie the seedlings directly to the nylon line near the seedling bed but if there is already a house, then do it inside the farmhouse. Then bring the nylon lines to the area and tie the lines to the posts underwater. It is common practice that seedlings are tied to nylon tines at a distance of eight to 12 inches apart. During the process of tying, seedlings must be covered from direct sunlight or rain. But it is advisable to submerge them in seawater most of the time. In planting seedlings in a bamboo-raft follow the same procedure as in mono-line bottom method, only that nylon lines are tied to the bamboo rather than to the posts. 

 BUILDING A FARM HOUSE After completely planting the area with seaweeds, a farm house should be built. It is advisable that a drying station is provided. This drying station in the house is necessary so that once seaweeds are harvested they can be dried right in the farm house. 

 MAINTENANCE OF THE AREA Enough men must be employed with this project with a proportion of two to five men per hectare. They will have to clean the area daily. Dirt that cling to the seaweeds must be removed daily. Seaweed eating sea animals like sea urchins, starfishes and other predators, should be remove from the area. Inspection on seaweeds should be done on a daily basis. At 45 days to a month old, branches of seaweeds start to fall off due to the water current. In order to save them from drifting away, a nylon net should be placed on two sides of the area that are perpendicular to the water current. 

 HARVESTING AND DRYING Once seaweeds are 2 1/2 to 3 months old, start harvesting them. For economy, when harvesting, try to keep one fresh branch as your reserve seedling. However, if no fresh branch can be harvested and put aside, harvest all the seaweeds and replace with new ones. Always use a stainless knife when harvesting. Use a wooden banca in harvesting seaweeds. Bring the harvest to the farm house drying station. To make it easier, use bamboo baskets. Usually, the time needed in fully drying seaweeds during sunny days is two to three days, while on cloudy days about five days. If the space in the farm house is limited, then put the dried seaweeds into sacks and transport. The initial planting is costly because seedlings are bought and much transportation cost is involved. However, in the succeeding plantings, the cost would be much lower because nylon lines will no longer be bought, so with the posts and seedlings plus the transport cost. Normally, posts should be changed every year and nylon line every two years. 

 PACKAGING Fresh seaweeds, such as Caulerpa, Gracilaria and Codium which are intended for the local market are first thoroughly rinsed in clean seawater to remove mud and dirt. Sorting is also done to remove the weed species mixed with them. Packaging is an important post harvest activity which determines the shelf life of the seaweed. Baskets made of bamboo are generally used as containers. The inner surface of each basket should be lined with gunny sack. Several layers of fresh or dried banana leaves or fresh seaweeds, such as Ulva or Sargassum should be placed over the bottom and along the sides of the basket. The basket is then filled with dean, fresh seaweeds. A topping of fresh seaweeds or banana leaves is then placed over the seaweeds, then the basket is finally covered with gunny sack which is secured by lacing it to the basket with tying materials. Exposure to the sun or heat during transport should be avoided to Insure the freshness of the produce. Seaweeds intended for food sold in local markets in dried form are first soaked in freshwater before consumption. 

Source: 1. Eucheuma Farming, 1989; Trono, G.C., Jr. and F.T. Greenfield Vol. 24 Nos. 3 and 5, 1999. 2. Handbook Guide, Seaweeds (Eucheuma) Farming 1990 Edition, Technology and Livelihood Resources Center.

Garlic Farming

Garlic grows well in clay, alluvial and sandy loam soils. Sandy loam, properly applied with fertilizer, generally produces big, compact and heavy bulbs of good quality. Heavier soils such as clay loam also give profitable yields if they are cultivated and fertilized properly. Garlic requires cool weather during the early stage of growth thus it is best to plant them on the months of October and November.

Prepare the pieces of cloves in the afternoon, the day before planting. Carefully separate the cloves from each other, taking care not to injure them. Choose only the big pieces for planting. Soak the cloves for two minutes in a solution of Malathion prepared by mixing three tablespoonfuls in five gallons of water). Treating the cloves with Malathion would kill the microscopic mites that cause "tangle top," a common garlic disease. Drain off the solution and put the cloves in a clean container for planting.

Land Preparation:

If the field is weedy and/or the soil surface is very irregular, plow and harrow the land thoroughly to kill weed seeds and to produce a fine, firm, smooth and level surface. Broadcast the recommended amount of fertilizers and mix thoroughly with the soil before leveling the field. For one hectare, use 125 to 175 kilos each of urea (45-0-0) and 14-14-14 or 12-24-12 NPK fertilizers. Mix the two fertilizers thoroughly. If urea is not available, use 235 to 270 kilos of ammonium sulphate. Mix with 115 to 130 kilos of 14-14-14 or 12-24-12 fertilizers. After applying the fertilizers and levelling the field, spread rice straw evenly throughout the entire paddy to a thickness of about 5 cms.

Irrigate the field just enough to moist the soil. In a few days, the field is ready for planting. In planting, mark the rows with the use of parallel lines of string spaced 20 cms. apart and placed just on top of the straw mulch. Hold the clove between the thumb and forefinger and set one-fourth of the clove into the soil. Then press the soil slightly but firmly towards the clove. Plant the cloves at intervals of 20 cms. in the row.Garlic does not need much irrigation. As long as there is sufficient soil moisture, bulb formation would be normal.

The plants are ready to be harvested as soon as three-fourths of the tops or leaves become fully ripe or dry. Lift the matured plants gently from the ground and then arrange the direct heat of the sun.

Pests and Diseases:

The important pests of garlic are mites and cut worms. Cut worms can be controlled by spraying the plants with solutions of: EPN-300 at three tablespoonfuls in five gallons of water plus sticker; and Imidan 50 W.P. at three tablespoonfuls in five gallons water plus sticker. Against mites, use Tedion V-18 at three tablespoonfuls of water. Spray the plants once a week. Pink Root which can be prevented only by planting resistant varieties.

Source:http://elgu2.ncc.gov.ph, photo courtesy of savoringkentucky.com

How to make Squid balls

Ingredients: 

 350 g washed, minced fish meat 

5 tbsps. chopped garlic 

150 g minced squid meat 

1 tsp MSG 

1 1/2 c cornstarch 

1/4 tsp. baking soda 

4 tbsps. Refined sugar 

1 1/2 tsp. binder 

2 tbsps. salt` iced water 

Procedure: 

1. Fillet fish, remove skin. Wash fillet and minced fish meat. 

2. Meanwhile wash squid thoroughly. Pull out head. Remove skin of the mantle and wings. Wash. Cut into cubes and minced or grind. 

3. Mix fish meat with salt until sticky. Add other ingredients except cornstarch and binder. 

4. Melt binder in iced water and alternately add to the mixture. Mix the minced squid meat. 

5. Form into balls and set in lukewarm water for 20 minutes. drain. 

6. Cook squid balls in shimmering water for 30 minutes. 

7. Drain and cool the finished product. 

8. Store in freezer. 

Source: da.bfar.gov.ph, photo courtesy www.khiewchanta.com and www.newth.net

Profitable Ginger Farming

By Henrylito D. Tacio 

 GINGER is a crop that grows best in the Philippines. In fact, it is so versatile that it can be grown almost any part of the country. But in spite of its suitability to Philippine conditions, ginger is still a “neglected” crop. Few farmers plant it and their produce is not enough to meet domestic consumption. Big money awaits the entrepreneur who goes into production of good quality ginger. There is a big demand for ginger in special powdered form in Japan and Germany. In the domestic market, food factories engaged in meat canning and meat processing desperately need high-quality ginger. Sadly, local sources cannot meet the demand. 

 A study conducted by the small enterprise technology upgrading program (Set-up) of the Department of Science and Technology showed that a farmer with one hectare needs a capital of P141,490 for labor and inputs like seeds and fertilizer. On regular season, a farmer will have a gross income of P300,000 (at P10 per kilogram with 30 tons yield from one hectare). During off-season, the gross income is higher by P100,000 as the price of ginger increases to P20 per kilogram (although the production is 10 tons lower than those harvested during regular season). However, farmers who want to grow ginger should consult first the Department of Agriculture to determine the feasibility of the venture in their respective areas. Those intending to tap the export market may inquire the Department of Trade and Industry about the requirements and standards to be met. Ginger can be grown in flat to slightly rolling areas with well drained, light to medium textured soil high in organic matter and pH of 6.8-7.0. It can grow in elevations of up to 1,500 meters above sea level with about 200-300 centimeters annual rainfall every distributed throughout the year.

A farmer needs about 800 to 1,500 kilograms of seed pieces to plant a hectare. Ginger roots are stored under shade and covered with banana or coconut leaves. Only healthy rhizomes with sprouts or eyes are selected for planting. It takes eight to 10 months for ginger to be ready for harvest. The land must be thoroughly prepared. It is plowed and harrowed to pulverize the soil. Then beds, 30 centimeters high and one meter wide, of any length, are prepared. 

To prevent soil-borne diseases, the beds are sterilized by burning dried rice straw on bed surface three times. The beds are fertilized with complete fertilizer (12-24-12) at the rate of 400 kilograms per hectare at planting time, if soil is sandy. For clay loam soils, 300 kilograms of complete fertilizer are applied at planting time; at second and fourth month, another 400 kilograms of complete fertilizer are applied. Before planting, the seed pieces are washed in running water. Then, these are soaked for 10 to 15 minutes in a solution of acidulated mercuric bicholories (met 5.67 grams of mercuric bichloride in small porcelain cup field with hot water; mix with 5 gallons of water and add 180 ml. of concentrated hydrochloric acid). This treatment is done to protect seed pieces from pests. The seeds are cut into 20 to 50 gram sizes. The seed pieces are buried five centimeters deep, arranged in triangular pattern, 30 centimeters apart on each bed. After planting, the crop is watered thoroughly or the canals between beds are flooded. 

 Generally, ginger requires regular hand weeding during its growth period. One month after planting, hand weed is recommended. The frequency of subsequent weeding depends on weed density. To suppress weed growth, the plants may be mulched with coconut leaves or rice straw. When leaves are yellowing and withering, the crop is ready for harvest. However, harvest time depends on the requirements of consumers. For the local market, after 10 to 11 months; for pickling and salting, five to seven months; for dehydration, six to eight months; and for fresh ginger export, after seven to 10 months. Harvesting should be done before the rhizomes become fibrous or when the leaves or stalks are yellow and withering. Three men can harvest the crop. One digs up every hill with a spading fork; another pulls out the plants, shakes off the soil and lays them on the bed in wind rows; the third cuts off stems without breaking ginger bulbs. "Everything good is found in ginger," so goes a popular Indian proverb. It can be consumed fresh, dehydrated, powdered, or pickled. The Filipino traditional health drink called salabat is made from boiled fresh or powdered ginger. It also adds flavor to some common dishes like tinola, goto, arroz caldo, paksiw, batchoy, and pinakbet. Likewise, it is used as an ingredient in the manufacture of softdrinks and in the preparation of preserved. But what most Filipinos don't know is that ginger is also a medicinal plant. In the United States, ginger is "generally recognized safe" by the Food and Drug Administration, though it is not approved for the treatment or cure of any disease and is sold as an unregulated dietary supplement. 

 The Minnesota-based Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research recommends ginger for nausea and vomiting. “To prevent nausea after surgery,” it instructs, “ginger has been given as one gram by mouth one hour before surgery. For chemotherapy- induced nausea, capsules of ginger root powder have been given orally one gram per day for five days, starting on the first day of chemotherapy.” Ginger does not prevent morning sickness but it may help ease some of the nausea experienced by pregnant women, Australian researchers reported in the April 2004 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Researchers from the University of South Australia in Adelaide gave nearly 300 women either 350 milligrams of ginger or 25 milligrams of vitamin B6 three times per day for three weeks. The researchers found that both ginger and vitamin B6, which is sometimes taken to counteract morning sickness, worked equally well at alleviating nausea symptoms. Some sources warn against higher doses in pregnancy due to concerns about mutations or abortion. "Supervision by a qualified healthcare professional is recommended for pregnant women considering the use of ginger," the Mayo Clinic suggests. 

 Mounting evidence suggests that ginger has natural anti-inflammatory properties. "And you don’t have to use a lot," said Dr. Neal Barnard, author of Foods That Fight Pain. "It works like ibuprofen, but without the side effects." Thing is, you need some ginger every day to feel the results. Slice a half-teaspoon to a teaspoon of fresh ginger and use it to flavor your stir-fry vegetables or sauces, or mix it with some boiling water and let it cool down before drinking. Now, here's a word of warning: Though generally recognized as safe, ginger can cause heartburn, bloating, gas, belching and nausea, particularly if taken in powdered form. Allergic reactions to ginger generally result in a rash. Individuals who have had ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease or blocked intestines may react badly to large quantities of fresh ginger. Ginger should not be used by children under two years of age. 

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on November 9, 2009.

Grouper (Lapu Lapu) Culture

Grouper (Lapu-lapu)
(Epinephelus spp.)

Locally known as lapu-lapu, grouper has been cultured in ponds and cages in Southeast Asia for more than a decade. It is one of the most expensive fish in the market and is valued because of its texture and taste as well as its great potential in the aquaculture market. The demand for grouper in the international market is fast growing particularly in Hongkong, Japan, and Singapore.

In the country, grouper culture in cages have been successful in Pres. Carlos Garcia, Bohol. The Sto. Rosario Fishermen's Association of this municipality has established market links with buyers based near Cebu City. The Cagay Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Roxas City has also been successful in culturing grouper. Raising grouper is therefore another significant earner for the country.

Grouper Species

There are about 40 species of groupers distributed in tropical water and there are 2 species cultured commercially. These are:

1. Epinephelus coioides or Orange-spotted grouper - They have yellowish-brown dorsal body, shaded to whitish on the side of the belly, and they have numerous brownish orange or brownish-yellow spots unevenly scattered on head, body and fins. Whitish or creamy white chin or underside of the head and belly.

2. Epinephelus malabaricus or Black-spotted grouper - Body color is light brown on the upper part o the body, belly and ventral side light grey. The body has 5 distinct broad dark brown oblique bars which tend to bend. The head and the body with numerous small well-separated blackish spots on the chin. The fins are also has small black spots.

Source of Stock

At present, supply of grouper fry for commercial cage/pond production still depends on the wild. However, institutes like SEAFDEC/AQD and other progressive finfish hatchery operators are refining their broodstock and production techniques.

Grouper fry are collected in nominal quantities using various devices, eg scare lines or brush piles. The size of fry varies from 1-9 cm and is collected by fish traps from coastal waters near mangrove areas. In the Philippines, the major source of grouper fry are in the provinces of Pangasinan, Cavite, Mindoro, Quezon, Masbate, Bulacan, Cagayan, south Cotabato, and Negros Occidental.

Site Selection

The site should:

a. Be in calm water like sheltered lagoons, coves, islets, bay, behind an island or a river mouth. This is to avoid damage caused by strong winds, waves and current.
b. Have salinity ranging between 32-34 ppt
c. Have water depth not less than 3 meters during low tide.
d. Have good water exchange to maintain good water quality
e. Be relatively free from any source of pollution and protected from environmental hazards such as typhoons, floods, erosions, etc. It must be accessible but secured from vandals and poachers.

Cage Specification

A floating cage is usually composed of 4-12 compartments supported by a framework. Consider the following when putting up a cage:

1. Cage frame - made of bamboo and durable enough to withstand stress caused by wave action and increased weight during culture operation.
Cage dimensions - it should be 5m x 5m x 3m x 3m x 3m x 3m.
2. Maintain water column at 2.5m
3. Sinkers - Use small concrete blocks as sinkers suspended by ropes, placed at the bottom of the 4 corners of the cage for rigging.
4. Catwalks - Attach lumber to the framework to serve as walks.
5. Floaters - Use plastic drums as floaters on each side of the cage between the bamboo pipes. Tie the drum to the cage frame using a rope 5 mm in diameter to stop the drum from drifting, especially during strong wave actions.

Cage Netting

Nets are placed like an inverted mosquito net or hapa. Each cage is supported with polyethylene rope (5 mm) inserted along the sewed borders of the net and held using a clove hitch with overhand knot.

Each cage should have double-layered nets to avoid loss of stock due to tearing and other mechanical damage.

Anchor

The rope length from the floater to the anchor should be the same as the water depth at high spring tide. The raft structure needs 14 concrete blocks (0.5 - 1 ton each) with 8 placed at the ebb end (ebb tide being stronger than flood tide), 4 at the flood end and 2 in the mid-section.

Shelter

Groupers need a place to hide; unlike other fishes. To provide a place for groupers to hide, use sawed-off bamboo, 5 cm in diameter and 15 cm in length (for nursery cages) and 10 cm in diameter and 30 cm in length (for grow-out cages) tied in triangular bundles and suspended in strategic areas inside the net cages.

Nursery Cage Operation

Use nursery cage for fry 2-10 cm long. Stocking rate should be 60-100 fish per cubic meter. Feeds include shrimps and/or finely chopped trash fish given at the rate of 10% of the average body weight per day. Divide the feeds equally and give 2-4 times each day.

Install a 50-watt incandescent lamp (hover type) inside the cages, about 0.5 m above the waterline at night to attract live food like mysids, copepods, and other smaller fishes.

Grow-out Cage Operation

Use a grow-out cage to stock sizes of more than 10-15 cm in total length. Stocking rate should be 30-60 fishes per cubic meter. Give trash fish at the rate of 5 percent of the average body weight per day. Divide the feeds equally and give twice a day.

Monitoring

Take a few samples of the stock every 15 days to determine feed requirement and growth rate of grouper stock. Scoop out 10-15 samples and measure the weight and length of each sample. Always inspect the nets for tears. Remove dirt, debris, and fouling organism attached to the nets. Repair or replace damaged nets.

Health Management

It is recognized that many diseases in fish culture are often associated with stress. Stressed fish can easily be infected with disease-causing agents and this affects growth. The following tips may minimize stress on fish and prevent disease outbreaks:

1. Observe any unusual swimming behavior, especially during dawn or late afternoon. Fish gasping for air usually indicates low levels of dissolved oxygen. Should this happen, thin-out stocks by transferring some of them into another compartment.

2. Weak fish - those refusing to school with other fishes and those losing balance while swimming should be separated from healthy stocks immediately. Stocks found to have sudden loss of appetite and with red spot-like wounds on the skin and fins are likely to have a bacterial infection. Use a Povidone-iodine solution (eg. Betadine solution) at 15 parts per million for 5-10 minutes for 3 alternate days, as an effective treatment for bacterial infection. Methylene blue can also be used by swabbing. Transfer treated fish to a new compartment.

3. Maintain a distance of 1 meter between compartments to ensure easy and continuous water flow and maintain ideal water quality for the fish.

Harvesting

Starve the fish 24 hours before harvesting. Harvest depends on the demand of the local and export market.

Post Harvest

Scoop live marketable size groupers (400 g and up) from the cage. Hold grouper temporarily inside the conditioning tank and provide aeration for about 1-2 hours. Adjust water temperature gradually to 18 degrees Celsius by adding packed ice. Place 3-5 fish inside an oxygenated double-sheet plastic bag, with water at 3-5 cm or at least covering the nostrils of the fishes. Place crushed ice on top of plastic bags to maintain the water coolness during transport.

Place plastic bags inside the styrofoam with carton cover having a tag "live fish" and then ready for transport.

Before transporting harvested stocks a "freshwater dip", or short bath in freshwater for 2-10 minutes is advisable. The dip will not increase parasite infection and lessen the incidence of disease and mortality during transport.


Source:Grouper Culture in Floating Cages BFAR; Livelihood Options for Coastal Communities, IIRR and SMISLE Publication; http://www.pinoyfarmer.com; photo from www.ukdivers.net.