Vannamei 101

New Company Offers Penaeus vannamei Services in Asia

This decade has seen a massive expansion of western white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) farming in Asia, from virtually zero in the year 2000 to a likely total of 1.7 million metric tons in 2008, 80% of the global production of this species and more than 60% of the total world production of marine shrimp (currently standing at about 2.8 million tons).

Techniques for farming P. vannamei are different from those used with the giant tiger shrimp P. monodon.  One of the impediments to vannamei’s further expansion in Asia is a lack of knowledge and understanding of the management practices to make vannamei farming work.

Dr. Matthew Briggs and David Kawahigashi have established a new company—Vannamei 101—in Phuket, Thailand, that offers technical services, training, consultancy, broodstock, postlarvae and other products to the vannamei farming industry in Asia.

Vannamei 101 provides hands-on training to hatchery managers and technicians through its joint venture vannamei farm in Phuket, which has two broodstock multiplication centers, three maturation units, 25 larval rearing units, one algal culture laboratory, one PCR-equipped diagnostic laboratory—and close to 200 ponds.

All of the company’s technical directors and staff have over 20 years of international commercial hatchery experience in Latin America or Asia.  The technical team includes: Gunnawit Ruchirawat (Thailand), Khamron Waiyakruttha (Thailand), Kelly Hegerle (USA), Alberto Bayas (Ecuador), Walter Briones (Ecuador), Chinh Pham (Vietnam) and Simon Loh (Malaysia).  It also has more than 20 technical staff members from Thailand and the Philippines working on various maturation, hatchery and growout projects in the region.

Consulting: Vannamei 101 offers consultancy services on all aspects of vannamei farming worldwide and has worked on projects in Thailand, Malaysia, Iran, Indonesia, Philippines, China, Vietnam, Japan and New Caledonia.

Training Courses: Vannamei 101 offers hands-on training courses in most aspects of vannamei farming at its dedicated training facilities in Phuket.  The courses include: Maturation (7-10 days), Larviculture (7-10 days), Algae Culture/Microbiology/Water Quality (3 days), Disease Diagnostics (1 day) and Intensive Farm Growout (7 days).  It also offers customized training programs that are able to combine courses and customize training programs according to the needs of the customer.

Broodstock Development: Although Vannamei 101 does not provide training on breeding and broodstock multiplication, it does operate its own nucleus breeding centers and broodstock multiplication centers with partners in Thailand.  The broodstock produced at these centers are 100% free of all Class I shrimp viral diseases and are certified by the Thai Department of Fisheries.  Naupliar and postlarval vannamei are also available and can be shipped worldwide (depending on local regulations).  To date the company has shipped animals to Vietnam and Malaysia and expects sales to other countries to begin soon.

Growout Results: Results from growout ponds in Thailand using Vannamei 101’s broodstock have shown growth increases of greater than 12% a year for the past four years.  Stocking 80-150 PL/m², farms harvest 40-count-per-kilo shrimp in four months and up to 28 count shrimp in 5.5-6 months (with partial harvests) for total productions of up to 35 metric tons per hectare per crop.

Joint Ventures: Vannamei 101 is currently engaged in a number of joint ventures in Vietnam and Malaysia and has recently expanded into Iran, India and the Philippines.  In Vietnam, its partners include some of the largest shrimp companies in the country, like the largest hatchery and BIM Seafood.

Vannamei 101 also conducts hatchery feeding trials for companies interested in testing their larviculture formulas.

Vannamei 101 markets a broad line of hatchery products (feeds, medicines and equipment) that have been tested and used at its farm in Thailand.

Vannamei 101 is now selling disease-free, giant tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) broodstock from Mozambique and Tanzania for $120.00 per animal (plus shipping and handling fees) to most destinations in Asia.  Supplies are limited due to seasonal demand and frequent closure of fisheries.

Vannamei 101’s Technical Directors

David Kawahigashi

• 25 years managing hatcheries in the USA (Hawaii), South America and Asia

• Experience in broodstock multiplication and breeding programs

• Has trained hatchery technicians for over 20 years

• Technical assistance in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines and Malaysia

Dr. Matthew Briggs

• Expert in vannamei culture spanning four continents (Asia, Africa, Europe and South America)

• 20⁺ years experience in hatchery management, nutrition, shrimp pathology and genetic
selection programs

• Based in Phuket, Thailand

Kelly Hegerle, Vietnam

• Career vannamei hatchery manager from the USA

• 25⁺ years of experience in Africa, Ecuador, Thailand and China

Alberto Bayas, Vietnam

• Vannamei hatchery expert from Ecuador

• 20⁺ years experience in Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador, Vietnam and Thailand

Walter Briones (Project Manager)

• Vannamei hatchery expert from Ecuador

• 20⁺ years of global experience

Khun Kamron (Training Coordinator, Thailand)

• Hatchery and farm training coordinator

• 15⁺ years experience in Thailand and Malaysia

Information: Dr. Matthew Briggs (mattbriggs101@gmail.com), Managing Director, and David Kawahigashi (kawahigashi@yahoo.com), Managing Director, Vannamei 101, Phuket, Thailand (phone 66-76-529582, cell 66-87808-3544, website http://www.vannamei101.com).

Sources: 1. Email to Shrimp News International from Matthew Briggs.  Subject: Vannamei 101.  July 10, 2008.  2. Vannamei 101’s website on July 10, 2008.

Country Reports

Australia

Queensland—Annual Shrimp Production Statistics

Once a year, Ross Lobegeiger and Max Wingfield, extension officers at the Bribie Island Aquaculture Research Centre (left) in Queensland, the state with almost all of the country’s shrimp farms, prepare a report on the status of aquaculture in Queensland.  The 2006-2007 report contains 42 pages, numerous tables and lots of information on Queensland’s leading aquaculture species: redclaw (a freshwater crayfish), finfish, oysters—and shrimp.

Editorial Note: Lobegeiger’s year runs from July 1 through June 30, so summer (December, January and February) and the shrimp farming season straddle the year change.  Consequently, you’ll see lots of “2005-2006 to 2006-2007” comparisons in this report.  Also, in Australia, India and several other places around the world that were once part of the British Empire, they call penaeid shrimp “prawns”.  That’s why we hear so much about the giant tiger “prawn” (Penaeus monodon) and the banana “prawn” (P. merguiensis).  Shrimp News has reserved the word “prawn” for freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium spp.), so in this report, I changed all of Ross’s “prawns” to “shrimp”.  Finally, I converted Australia dollars to USA dollars.

Value and Volume of Production: In 2006-2007, the value of Queensland’s farmed shrimp production decreased by 8% to $41.5 million, from $45.2 million in 2005-2006.  Total production decreased by 6% from 3,300 metric tons in 2005-2006 to 3,085 tons in 2006-2007.  Average yield per hectare decreased by 3.5%.

Problems: The Queensland industry faced a number of production and marketing problems during 2006-2007.  Postlarvae produced during the early part of the season were of poor quality and many batches had to be discarded.  The cool January period slowed growth on many farms, although the Logan River farms did have a warmer April that extended harvests into May.  In the latter part of the season, some farms were hit with mortalities, probably due to mid-crop mortality syndrome, forcing the farmers to harvest before the shrimp reached large and extra large sizes.

Prices: The average farm-gate price fell by 3% from $14.14/kg in 2005-2006 to $13.81/kg in 2006-2007.  Shrimp imports were the main reason for the decrease in the market value of the Australian crop.

Production Statistics: The total ponded area increased by 3%, from 713 hectares in 2005-2006 to 737 hectares in 2006-2007.  The area stocked increased by 28% from 835 to 1,070 hectares.  Pond sizes ranged from 0.6 to 1.77 hectares with an average size of 1.03 hectares.  The average number of crops per year increased from 1.0 to 1.1.  The average stocking rate decreased from 33 postlarvae per square meter to 26.  Stocking rates varied from 9 to 50 with 8 farms stocking at 40 or more per square meter (compared with 4 farms the previous season).

Feeds: The quantity of feed consumed decreased from 7,325 tons in 2005-2006 to 6,286 tons in 2006-2007.  Over the same period the estimated feed conversion ratio (FCR) decreased from 2.2:1 to 2.0:1.  In 2006-2007 feed sources were 50% domestic (36% in 2005-2006) and 50% overseas (64% in 2005-2006).

Hatcheries: In 2006-2007, fourteen shrimp hatcheries (15 in 2005-2006) produced an estimated 320 million postlarvae (338 million in 2005-2006).  Seven of those hatcheries operated independently, that is, they were not associated with a farm.  Six of the independent hatcheries participated in the survey for this report.  Three of those hatcheries produced giant tiger postlarvae and supplied 30% of the postlarvae sold in 2006-2007 (or 12% of the total postlarvae stocked).

Broodstock: Domesticated families of black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) have been successfully maintained in commercial facilities, and the domestication of prawn broodstock is likely to progress; however, there is still a strong reliance on wild-caught broodstock.

Species: Kuruma shrimp (P. japonicus) production has almost ceased in Queensland with only one farm producing limited quantities for the Australian market.

Information: Ross Lobegeiger, Bribie Island Aquaculture Research Centre, DPI&F, P.O. Box 2066, Woorim, Queensland 4507, Australia (phone 61-7-3400-2000, fax 61-7-3408-3535, email ross.lobegeiger@dpi.qld.gov.au, webpage http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/far/12263.html).

Source: Report to farmers (Aquaculture production survey, Queensland 2006–2007).  Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland.  Ross Lobegeiger and Max Wingfield.  May 2008.

Australia

IHHN Virus Outbreaks in Northern Queensland

On July 7, 2008, J. Gardner Murray, Australia’s delegate to the Office International des Epizooties (OIE), reported outbreaks of the infectious hypodermal and haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV) in Penaeus monodon in Proserpine and Cardwell, Australia.  Ponds were drained, dried and treated with lime.  Sampling and testing of additional farms are underway.  The disease was confirmed by the Australian Animal Health Laboratory, a federal facility.

Information: J. Gardner Murray, Delegate to OIE and President of the OIE Regional Commission for Asia, the Far East and Oceania, Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (AFFA), Canberra, Australia.

Source: OIE Mailing List (oie-info-web@oie.int).  Infectious hypodermal and haematopoietic necrosis, Australia.  July 11, 2008.

China

Shrimp Industry Conference

On November 6–9, 2008, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture will sponsor a “Global Technical and Trade Conference on Shrimp” in Guangzhou, China.

Tentative Program

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Registration

Opening Ceremony

Keynote Presentations

Towards sustainability in shrimp farming

Making shrimp more competitive in the market

Global Overview

• Overview of global shrimp production from aquaculture and capture fishing

• The international shrimp trade

• Giant tiger shrimp versus western white shrimp: technical, economic and marketing
considerations

• Impact of the global food crisis on the shrimp industry

Industry Situation and Outlook

• The Thai shrimp industry

• The shrimp industry in China

• Developments in the Vietnam shrimp sector

• The shrimp industry in India

• Shrimp farming in Indonesia

Friday, November 7, 2008

Industry Situation and Outlook (continued)

• Shrimp farming in Latin America

• The status of shrimp farming in The Philippines

• The shrimp industry in the Middle East

• The coldwater shrimp industry (Europe, North America, South America)

Markets and Marketing

• Developments in the Japanese shrimp market

• The European shrimp market

• The catering/restaurant sector in the USA

• The retail shrimp market in the USA

• Markets and marketing of organic shrimp

• Markets for cold-water shrimp

• China and the Far East as a growing market

• Southeast Asian market

• Other emerging markets (Middle East, Eastern Europe)

• Shrimp value chain economics

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Technological Developments and Issues

• Recent developments in processing and packaging

• Value-added shrimp

• Organic shrimp farming

• Traceability and risk assessment in the shrimp industry

• The role of HACCP in assuring food safety in the shrimp industry

• Technological innovations for sustainable shrimp farming

• Managing disease in shrimp farming

• Certification in the shrimp value chain

• Investment in the shrimp sector in the present global scenario

Sunday, November 9, 2008

• Field Trip (full day, shrimp market, shrimp farm and shrimp processing plant)

• Buyer Seller Meetings

• Guangzhou City Tour (half day)

Information Southeast Asia: INFOFISH, Level 2, Menara Olympia 8, Jalan Raja Chulan, 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (phone 603-2078-3466, fax 603-2078-6804, email infish@po.jaring.my or infish@tm.net.my, webpage http://www.infofish.org.)

Information China: INFOYU, Room 809, Bldg 22, Maizidian Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100026, China (phone +86-10-64195140, fax +86-10-64195141, email infoyu@agri.gov.cn, website: http://www.infoyu.net).

Information Elsewhere: GLOBEFISH-FIIU, Fishery Industry Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 100100 Rome, Italy (phone 39-06-5705-2094, fax 39-06-5705-5188, email globefish@fao.org, website http://www.globefish.org).

Source: Conference website on July 11, 2008.

India

EU Refuses Entry of Giant Tiger Shrimp

During the second week of July 2008, European Union officials issued an alert on a shipment of frozen, raw, peeled, giant tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) from India because it contained “prohibited metabolites”.  The alert prevented the product from reaching markets in the EU.

Source: The Wave (an online, subscription-based news service published by IntraFish Media, Norway).  Editorial Director, John Fiorillo (phone 206-282-3474, extension 25, cell 206-963-5732, fax 206-282-3470, email john.fiorillo@intrafish.com).  EU officials issue alert on contaminated Indian black tiger shrimp.  July 18, 2008.

India

Dumping Duties Reduced

The Second Administrative Review of the dumping tariffs on shrimp exports from India to the USA slashed the duty to 1.69 percent, from 7.22 percent after the first administrative review.

Source: Business Line.  US cuts anti-dumping duty on Indian shrimps.  C.J. Punnathara.  July 10, 2008.

India

CP Shrimp Feed Plant for Gujarat

The Charoen Pokphand Group, Thailand’s largest agribusiness conglomerate, is preparing to expand in India by establishing two more animal feed plants.  The new plants will be located in areas where raw materials are readily available, said Pinij Kungvankij, CP’s senior vice-president and also a vice-president of CP Aquaculture (India).  He said one of the new plants would produce shrimp feed in the state of Gujarat.  The exact location and investment cost have yet to be finalized.

Source: The Bangkok Post.com.  CP adding feed plants in India.  Nareerat Wiriyapong.  July 12, 2008.

Malaysia

Red Substance Closes Shrimp Farms

Mohd Asrol Sulaiman, 35, president of the Perak Prawn Farmers Association in northwest Malaysia, said an “unusual red substance has affected about 40 shrimp farmers and fishermen in Kampung Teluk, Kampung Baru and Changkat Kriung.”  The red substance first appeared about four or five months ago when dredging work near Port Lumut began.

Source: The Star Online.  Red seawater closes prawn farm.  Ivan Loh.  July 15, 2008.

Northern Mariana Islands

Legislation to Develop Pathogen-Free Zone

Legislation intended to encourage the growth of shrimp farming on Rota, one of the islands in the Northern Mariana Islands (a commonwealth in political union with the United States), is now awaiting Governor Benigno Fitial’s signature.  The bill, the Rota Aquaculture Act of 2008, would establish Rota as a specific pathogen free zone, meaning restrictions against invasive diseases that could affect shrimp production.

The Northern Mariana Islands already has one shrimp farm, and a second one will begin operations soon.

Source: Saipan Tribune.  Aquaculture could save NMI.  Stefan Sebastian.  July 11, 2008.

Pakistan

Overlooked Potential for Shrimp Farming

Despite a conducive environment, adequate climate and available sites, Pakistan has never developed its potential for shrimp farming.  On July 8, 2008, speakers at the inauguration of the “Advanced Training Course on Shrimp Hatchery Management”, arranged by the Sindh Fisheries Department in collaboration with Pakistan Fisheries Research Institute, attributed the absence of aquaculture development to a lack of commitment by previous governments.

Sindh Minister of Fisheries Zahid Ali Bhugari said shrimp farming was grossly overlooked by successive governments that failed to realize its potential for strengthening the national economy.  He also blamed the private sector for its failure to promote shrimp farming.

Source: Daily Times.  Pakistan ranked lowest in shrimp hatching in the region.  July 9, 2008.

Pakistan

Master Plan for Shrimp Farming

In collaboration with Asian Development Bank and The Sindh Coastal Development Authority, the federal government is providing $28 million to the “Master Plan Development for Aquaculture and Shrimp Farming Project”.

Source: The Nation.  Rs1.3 billion for uplift of fishing industry.  Shafi Baloch.  July 16, 2008.

Philippines

Farmed Shrimp Output Predicted to Double in Five Years

Agriculture officials expressed optimism that the Philippines can double its shrimp production to 100,000 metric tons in five years and regain its status as one of the world’s top shrimp exporters.

Agriculture Undersecretary Jesus Emmanuel Paras said the lifting of the ban on the importation of Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) could result in the speedy rebound of the shrimp industry.  He said, “Because vannamei matures faster, it requires less production inputs and has strong resistance to diseases.  It is projected that the country will be able to achieve shrimp production volume in excess of 100,000 metric tons in five years.”

At present, the importation and culture of Pacific white shrimp is monitored by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).  Malcolm Sarmiento, BFAR Director, said that a year and a half after the government allowed the importation of vannamei broodstock, the bureau had accredited seven maturation, breeding and larval rearing hatcheries in strategic locations and certified 38 growout farms with about 500 hectares in production.

About 60 percent of the country’s shrimp production goes to the domestic market and the remainder is exported to Japan, South Korea, the USA, Canada, Guam and some other countries.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer.  Shrimp output expected to double in 5 years.  Amy R. Remo.  July 10, 2008.

Philippines

Illegal Vannamei Confiscated

On June 26, 2008, more than 13 million Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) were seized by Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources personnel from a hatchery on Cebu Island in the central Visayan Islands.

BFAR Assistant Regional Director Allan Poquita said a complaint against hatchery operators Lin Chia and Elnes Bellocalio was filed before the provincial prosecutor’s office in relation to the incident.

Poquita said the two owned the Samaryan Hatchery in Barangay Catarman, where they held more than 13 million illegally imported western white shrimp (P. vannamei).  He said the shrimp were illegally imported because the hatchery was not accredited to produce vannamei and because Chia and Bellocalio did not have any paperwork to show that the shrimp had been purchased locally.

While importation of vannamei is now legal, the trade is carefully regulated by BFAR, which certifies the farms and hatcheries and inspects them to make sure that they stay disease free.

Source: Cebu Daily News.  Imported shrimp seized in Liloan.  Hayde Quiñanola.  July 13, 2008.

United States

Washington DC, Imports Down Slightly

Through the first five months of 2008, USA shrimp imports were down 0.7 percent, to 430.5 million pounds, compared to the same five-month period last year, according to figures released by the National Marine Fisheries Service on July 11, 2008.  That’s a slight improvement from the first four months of 2008, when USA shrimp imports were down 1.7 percent.

Shrimp imports from the United States’ top two shrimp suppliers last year, Thailand and Ecuador, are off this year.  Through May 2008, imports from Thailand were down 5.9 percent, to 126 million pounds, while imports from Ecuador were down 9.6 percent, to 56.2 million pounds.

For the first five months of 2008, Indonesia was the United States’ number two shrimp supplier, after occupying the number four position last year.  Imports from Indonesia were up an astounding 69.9 percent, to 79.1 million pounds.  Unlike Thailand and Ecuador, Indonesia is not subject to USA dumping tariffs.

China’s exports to the United States dropped 22.2 percent, to 42.7 million pounds.

Shrimp imports from Vietnam and Malaysia, however, were up considerably.  Through May, imports from Vietnam reached 27.6 million pounds, up 27.4 percent from last year, while imports from Malaysia totaled 20.3 million pounds, up 40.9 percent.

Mexico’s exports to the United States dropped 31.2 percent, to 17 million pounds through May.

The USA imports about 90 percent of its shrimp supply.

USA shrimp imports for the first half of 2008 are due to be released on August 12, 2008.

Source: SeafoodSource.com.  U.S. Shrimp Imports Still Down Through May.  July 14, 2008.

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