Ongoing research at the University of the Philippines Visayas promotes sustainable aquaculture with cheaper, more profitable, and more effective feeding practices. During the celebration of the 2022 National Science and Technology Week held on November 23-27, Dr. Rex Ferdinand M. Traifalgar shared his team’s recent findings on “Organic Bioactive Aquafeed Additives for Efficient and Sustainable Aquaculture.”
Through innovation in aquaculture sciences, their research aims to fight the growing challenges of fish production in the country. The study features bioconversion methods, which utilize fermentation processes to convert sweetpotato, copra, and algae into organic-based feeds for aquaculture farms. According to Dr. Traifalgar, this process can help minimize operating costs for fish growers since the end product is expected to be cheaper than the commonly used fishmeal.
The organic bioactive aquafeed additives also proved to be more effective in milkfish, shrimp, and crab production. Dr. Traifalgar cited improvements such as an increase in weight of the said aquatic commodities and improved gut health. According to him, this is due to the higher nutrient content and better digestibility of the feed additive.
Moreover, the technology is expected to minimize the risk of diseases to aquatic organisms. In their findings, the bioactive feeds were able to address White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) and V. parahaemolyticus infection on shrimps and crabs which is a common disease that affects aquaculture populations.
With the success of the study, Dr. Traifalgar and his team are hopeful that the technology will soon become available to the market for wider use. He emphasized that fermentation and bioconversion are going to be the future of aquaculture in the country.