John Williamson addressed the challenges in maintaining animal health and productivity through functional nutrition.

Central to these strategies is gut health, which is the foundation of shrimp performance. The assertion is that a healthy gut supports better digestion, stronger immunity and resilience to stress. Increasing concerns on antimicrobial resistance and consumer demand for residue free seafood are limiting the use of antibiotics. This has accelerated the development of non-antimicrobial and sustainable health solutions.

During TARS 2025, on shrimp aquaculture, John Williamson, Business Development Director, Auranta, Ireland, discussed functional nutrition strategies to mitigate major diseases and outlined results from laboratory and field trials. Auranta is an Irish biotech startup focused on natural, science‑backed solutions for animal health, especially gut health, immunity and antimicrobial reduction. It originated as a spin‑off from NovaUCD, the University College Dublin innovation hub. “It is important to understand the enemy and then develop solutions,” said John. “Understanding the value proposition is critical. Targeted use is important such as during a WSSV outbreak.”

Various pathogens such as Vibrio, white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) are disrupting production cycles and constraining profitability. At Auranta, shrimp primary gut and hepatopancreas cells have been isolated to study infection mechanisms and cellular responses. Combined with in vivo infection studies, this work has been documented in seven peer reviewed papers covering Vibrio, translucent post larvae disease (TPD), EHP, WSSV and gregarines (Nematopsis), the latter prevalent in Ecuador.

On the use of functional feeds, John Williamson said, “I think what we should focus on is value and cost per kg shrimp produced as opposed to cost per kg of feed or of the functional additive itself.” 

Managing Vibrio and TPD
TPD is caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains carrying multiple plasmid-borne toxin genes. Key among these are VHVP-1 and VHVP-2, a two-component toxin system where VHVP-1 supports attachment to the shrimp epithelial cell whilst VHVP-2 executes toxic effects inside shrimp cells (Williamson, 2025).

TPD can cause more than 90% mortality within 24–48 hours in PL 2–4 shrimp if left unchecked. Research using shrimp cell models showed that a natural antimicrobial blend based on an organic acid/phytogenic blend can silence key virulence genes, including VHVP toxins and PirA. Downregulation of HCP1 and HCP2 reduces bacterial adhesion and cytotoxicity across different salinities and strains (Asian and Latin America). In a Vibrio TPD challenge trial, untreated shrimp showed mortality around 91%, while the inclusion of natural antimicrobial blend reduced mortality to below 6%.

Efficacy to overcome WSSV and EHP
John demonstrated how the organic acid/phytogenics blend modulated immune oxidative pathways exploited by the virus. Downregulation of genes such as beta-1,3-glucan binding protein reduced hyperinflammation and cell death. Increased mucin gene expression (Mucin 1 and Mucin 2) improved mucus production and antioxidant activity further reduced oxidative stress. In vivo trials demonstrated significant reductions in viral copy numbers and mortality (from 96% in controls to 7% in treated shrimp).

Field trials in Thailand and Ecuador showed reduced white faeces and WSSV prevalence. In a farm in Thailand, WSSV prevalence decreased from over 30% in 2021 to 3% in 2022, which remained between 3–10% throughout 2024. Growth performance and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were maintained in Ecuador. In the Thai farm with 200 ponds, the organic acid blend was added directly into feeds at 5kg/tonne by the feed mill and fed to shrimp all year round. This farm has been successful in overcoming WSSV whilst others in the area encountered disease.

In a field trial in India, the blend was effective against EHP by attacking the parasite’s infection process and bolstering host cell defences. Inclusion of the product during an ongoing EHP infection restored linear growth performance (Figure 2). The effect was a significant reduction in EHP copy numbers.

John concluded that undoubtedly, functional nutrition is a critical pillar of health management. However, further research is needed to define nutritional thresholds and identify novel functional ingredients. Clear documentation of performance, cost and ROI is essential to drive adoption by producers. “Often, functional ingredients seem to be expensive. I think what we should focus on is value and cost per kg shrimp produced as opposed to cost per kg of feed or of the functional additive itself. The application strategy is also crucial, necessitating close collaboration between feed manufacturers and farmers.”

Reference
Williamson, J., 2025. Natural antimicrobials in shrimp aquaculture: Broad-Spectrum protection against WSSV, EHP and TPD. September/October 2025, pp 32-34. https://issues.aquaasiapac.com/view/879690187/34/

The rising concern of TPD regionally
A panel led Dr Kallaya Sritunyalucksana-Dangtip, BIOTEC/NSTDA, Thailand, with invited industry players noted that while some countries reported no official detection, anecdotal evidence from farmers suggested otherwise. Private laboratory testing in Vietnam confirmed TPD cases. Malaysia has already implemented stricter biosecurity measures, requiring imported broodstock to be certified free of TPD. Thailand has formed a task force for regular surveillance. Panellists stressed that cross-border movement of post larvae and broodstock presents significant risk making coordinated enforcement essential.

Members also cautioned against the misinformation on how to prevent or manage TPD. Practices such as indiscriminate antibiotic baths for post larvae may risk long term consequences, including antimicrobial resistance. The importance of infrastructure and regulation was highlighted. Proper farm design, water treatment systems and reservoir capacity can reduce disease pressure. Meanwhile, stricter oversight of cross-border livestock transfers is essential to prevent pathogen spread.

The promise and skepticism of functional feeds
One of the central themes of the discussion was functional nutrition. In Thailand, with increasing pressure to reduce antibiotic use and move toward antibiotic-free production, functional ingredients could serve as alternatives. Yet, cost remains a barrier. Without clear field data demonstrating consistent performance improvements and links to profitability, feed mills and farmers remain hesitant to fully embrace functional formulations.

John provided a useful benchmark with salmon farming, where functional nutrition is widely adopted during stress periods, such as seawater transfer and has been linked to measurable performance gains. The shrimp sector may learn from this model. In Ecuador, farmers use functional feeds throughout the production cycle as part of a broader strategy to manage the disease. In Asia, premium functional feeds priced significantly higher than standard diets have struggled to gain widespread adoption. Lower cost formulations with select additives like organic acids or beta glucans are more acceptable, but farmers remain cautious due to their high expectations.

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Farming in coastal ponds, often in rotation with shrimp, is an option for this pompano, but largequantity seed availability is a bottleneck

Indian pompano: an emerging candidate for coastal aquaculture and mariculture in India Farming in coastal ponds, often in rotation with shrimp, is an option for this pompano, but large quantity seed availability is a bottleneck By Sekar Megarajan, Ritesh Ranjan, Biji Xavier, Joe K. Kizhakudan, Jayasree Loka, Boby Ignatius and K Madhu48Industry Review – Marine Fish India has emerged as a global leader in fisheries, ranking second in aquaculture production, third in capture fish production, and second in total fish production, contributing to 8% of global fish output. India is a global player in shrimp farming in brackish and low saline waters. However, it lags behind in production from mariculture and coastal aquaculture despite having vast marinere sources, supported by an 11,098.81 km-long coastline. The projected mariculture production potential is 4-8million tonnes annually, yet current mariculture production remains below 0.1 million tonne.

Therefore, to enhance mariculture production, several fisheries research and development organisations have taken initiatives under various government schemes, such as the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana(PMMSY) through the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad. The promotion and adoption of some mariculture technologies and practices will certainly require established husbandry protocols; well-developed breeding and seed production systems; and nursery, farming and feeding protocols for selected commercial species, with adequate hands-on trainingand skill-sharing to support upscaling.

However, availability of fish species with closed-cycle and hatchery seed production and suitability for farming is key to developing a mariculture industry.

Together, institutions such as the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) and Central Brackish Water Aquaculture (CIBA) under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) have achieved breeding for more than a dozen marine and brackish water finfish species. At present, half a dozen finfish, namely the Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer), pearl spot (Etroplus suratensis),cobia (Rachycentron canadum), orange-spotted grouper(Epinephelus coioides), silver pompano (Trachinotusblochii) and Indian pompano (Trachinotus mookalee) havebeen introduced for farming in different farming systems.

The Indian pompano is one of the fast-emerging candidate marine finfish for mariculture and coastal aquaculture. Success in captive breeding and seed production was achieved in 2016 by ICAR-CMFRI at Visakhapatnam Regional Centre (CMFRI), according to Ranjan et al. (2018).Following this success in seed production, the farming feasibility of the species was tested, and technology standardised for sea cages, coastal cages, and coastal earthen pond-based farming systems under the All India Network Project on Mariculture (AINP-M) funded by ICAR.

All the developed farming methods were demonstrated on a large scale under the Blue Revolution Schemes by NFDB. Following successful farming demonstrations and performances in a range of systems, farmers are interested in farming the Indian pompano. The species has several advantages. It is easy to breed, readily accepts formulated pellet feed and adapts well to different farming systems. It can be farmed with other species such as white shrimp, mullet and milkfish. It also demonstrates moderate growth, has a pleasing appearance and offers good taste and nutritional value. Strong consumer preference and solid domestic and export market potential have attracted growing interest from a diverse range of stakeholders(Megarajan et al., 2021).

R&D have helped promote the species through several schemes implemented by the Government of India (GOI).For example, the Indian pompano is included as one of the major thrust areas of research in aquaculture and marine biotechnology programs by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the species has been prioritised to be developed and scaled up under a Nucleus Breeding Centre (NBC) for marine fish species under the PMMSY scheme of the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, GOI.

Farming systems for the Indian pompano

Marine finfish farming can be carried out in land-based artificial facilities such as tanks and ponds, cage-based onshore aquaculture and recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) with complete control over water quality parameters. In well-sheltered land-based aquaculture systems, fish are closely monitored according to management practices.

“Studies have shown that the fish species is suitable for nursery rearing in RAS and grow-out farming in sea cages, coastal cages and coastal earthen ponds.”

In offshore aquaculture which involves enclosed sections in open waters, fish are kept in cages and exposed to diverse natural conditions such as currents and nutrient cycles. Each approach has its unique advantages and challenges. The selection of culture system depends on species, environment, sustainability, and technology. Years of trials and commercial demonstrations for Indian pompano have produced an evolved, turn-key approach for standard operations. Studies have shown that the fish species is suitable for nursery rearing in RAS and grow-out farming in sea cages, coastal cages and coastal earthen ponds.

Sea cage farming

In India, trials on sea cage farming were initiated under research and demonstration activities by ICAR-CMFRI from 2006-2007. The cage culture technology has under gone several modifications in terms of design, anchorage, materials, minimum stocking sizes, stability in different climatic conditions and standardisation with different culture methods and material fabrication. At present, sea cages with HDPE frames of 6m diameter and a 4m depth (~110m3volume) are considered to be best suited for marine finfish farming in India’s coastal state.

To increase cage culture production, a preliminary survey estimated that a total of 134 sites covering an area of46,958.2ha are suitable for marine cage farming in India’s territorial waters. Sea-cage fish farming demonstrations have been carried out in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on the east coast under NFDB-sponsored programmes. Also, research on larger-diameter (15m) cages for Indian pompano farming is being conducted by ICAR-CMFRI at the Visakhapatnam Regional Centre.

The developed technology suggested stocking pompano fish fingerlings of around 20g and growing for ~10 months to reach 750g-900g, with a feed conversion ratio (FCR)varying from 1.8 to 2.2. The recommended stocking density is 25 fingerlings/m3and the optimum carrying capacity is a maximum of 15-18kg/m3. Sea cage farming of the species in a cluster of 10 cages will generate an annual profit of approximately INR1.7 to 2.0 million (1USD = 85 INR).However, the profit margin varies with factors such as feed cost, FCR and farmgate price at harvest. 

Coastal cage farming

Estuaries and backwaters are important ecosystems for improving the livelihood of marginal coastal farming communities. India has about 2.0 million haof backwaters, coastal lagoons and low-lying areas, potential sources for cage farming.

At present, coastal backwater cages made of galvanisediron (GI) pipes (5x5m in size with a 3m net depth and ~75 m3volume) are considered the best-suited design for marine finfish farming in different regions. Coastal cage farming technology for Indian pompano was initially standardised and demonstrated in more than 300 cages under different schemes by NFDB. ICAR-CMFRI promoted community-based development schemes.

The culture period for coastal cage farming is limited toa maximum 7-8 months due to the different monsoon seasons in India. The established farming technology showed that pompano fingerlings of 15-20g stocked at an optimum stocking density of 20 fingerlings/m3, reach an average size of 650-700g in 7 months. Feeding fish with formulated floating pellet feeds with 40-45% crude protein (CP) and 10% crude fat (CF) gave better results. FCR ranged from 1.7 to1.9. The net profit was calculated at up to INR70,000-85,000/cage when there was a cluster of 10 cages. Coastal cage farming of pompanohas emerged as an important livelihood option for coastal fishing communities and small-scale aquafarmers near the backwaters.

Coastal pond-based farming

India has significant potential for coastal aquaculture, with approximately 1.2 million ha of suitable brackish water areas, of which only about 15% is currently developed. India’s coastal aquaculture is predominantly dominated by farming of shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei and Penaeusmonodon and a small portion is used for fish such as Asian sea bass, milkfish, mullet and, more recently, pompanos (silver and Indian pompano).

Coastal pond farming technology for the Indian pompano was initially demonstrated under an NFDB-funded project from 2018-2020 in Andhra Pradesh. Now the species has been cultured in approximately 100ha in different Indian states. Observations on coastal pond-based farming showed that the pompano can be cultured at salinities ranging from 5-35ppt, either in newly constructed ponds or existing shrimp ponds. The optimum stocking density for 10g fingerlings is 1.5 fish/m2. Under these conditions, the fish can grow up to 850 to 1000g within 11-12 months, achieving a maximum production of 8.5 to 9.0 tonnes/ha.

Rotation of pompano and shrimp

However, many farmers prefer to culture the species in shrimp ponds as part of a short-term crop rotation cycle. Nursery-reared fish of 30-35g are stocked in ponds and harvested at 500g in 5-6 months. Thereafter, the same pond is used for shrimp farming in the next cycle. In coastal ponds, fish are fed a commercial formulated feedof 40-45% CP and 10% CF. FCR ranges from 1.5 to 1.8 and can still be further reduced with higher natural productivity in pond waters. The average profit margin was INR100/kg and better margins achievable through effective feed management.

With uncertainties in shrimp farming operations, farmers can now look at finfish species in demand in domestic markets as alternatives. Thus, Indian pompano has become an emerging species due to immediate acceptance of pellet feed and comparatively fewer issues with size variation, cannibalism, marketability and growth duration.

Conclusion

Globally, the pompanos are emerging as an importantmarine finfish. Among the 20 different species in thegroup, the snubnose pompano (Trachinotus blochii)and golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) have a highmarket value. They are widely farmed in Asia, includingChina, Taiwan, India, and Indonesia. Florida pompano(Trachinotus carolinus) is a highly desirable species in theUnited States, with a significant market price. As a result ofincreased farming operations, the pompano is now listedin FAO’s marine and coastal aquaculture finfish productionstatistics, with 1.9% (0.16 million tonnes) of marine finfishproduction in 2020.

Similar to other pompano species, the Indian pompanois gaining momentum in Indian aquaculture and addingvalue to the existing farmed pompano species. Thefarming of pompano is gaining interest to its appealingcharacteristics such as quick adaptation to differentfarming conditions, acceptance of formulated feed andlow likelihood of cannibalism.

The fish is highly esteemed among culinary circles forits mild flavour and delicate, flaky texture, and it lendsitself well to whole-fish preparations, especially whengrilled and presented in various styles. With these positivecharacteristics, pompano farming is gaining popularityamong farmers, but the lack of seed availability is abottleneck to its potential expansion.

To overcome this issue, ICAR-CMFRI have entered intoa Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with variousprivate and government hatcheries. Progress in the seedproduction and farming technology for the species willhelp expand the production of farmed pompano.

References

Gopalakrishnan, A., Ignatius B., Suresh VVR. 2022. MaricultureDevelopment in India: Status and Way Forward. Indian J. PlantGenet. Resour. 35(3): 317–321.FAO. 2024. The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024– Blue Transformation in action. Rome.https://doi.org/10.4060/cd0683en

Above authors are with the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Regional Centre in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.

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The following article is a summary of the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2025-2034 section on marine ingredients. The original paper is available from: https://doi.org/10.1787/601276cd-en

Consumption of global seafood is expected to increase, with most of that growth occurring in Asia and Africa. This includes only a slight increase in per capita consumption from 21.1 to 21.8kg. Aquaculture will continue to be the main driver of global seafood production, increasing to 56% of the global supply of more than 200 million tonnes by 2034. Despite this growth and maintenance in demand, the global prices of seafood are expected to decline in real terms.

Exports of seafood are expected to grow, albeit at a slower pace than previous decades. Furthermore, increasing uncertainties face the sector, including changing environmental conditions which impact global production and geopolitical tensions impacting trade policies. Improvement in global fisheries management offers some respite, while a growing focus on sustainable practices will continue to dominate further development of aquaculture.

Fishmeal and fish oil
Marine ingredients have long been considered strategic feed ingredients to global aquaculture production. Of the 21 million tonnes (live weight) of fish products utilised for non-food uses in 2034, 83% are projected to be used for fishmeal and fish oil production. The remaining 17% is likely to be made up of other nonfood uses such as for ornamental fish, fingerlings, bait, pharmaceutical goods or as trash-fish use in parts of the world (Figure 1)

Fishmeal will continue to be used primarily as a strategic ingredient in aquaculture feeds, and by 2034, 84% of global fishmeal production will be used by this sector as feed, compared to 78% in the base period of the OECD-FAO study (2022-2024). China will continue to be the largest aquaculture producer, and with this also the largest consumer of fishmeal. OECD-FAO estimates that China will account for 42% of world fishmeal
consumption by 2034.

Although fishmeal is mainly used as a feed ingredient by the aquaculture sector, fishmeal is not the main feed ingredient used by that sector. Other feed ingredients, mostly agricultural products such as soybean meal, wheat, rapeseed and corn will continue to make the largest contribution to nutrient supply in feeds for the sector in the foreseeable future. Fundamental differences in scale (3,775 million tonnes grain production versus 6 million tonnes of fishmeal and oil production in 2022 – Figure 2) explain the rationale for this, along with there being limited capacity for any
major fishmeal and fish oil production increase. The OECD-FAO study forecasts that by 2034, the use of ingredients such as soybean meal in aquaculture will reach 11 million tonnes, whereas fishmeal inclusion in aquaculture feeds will increase to 4.9 million tonnes.

Consumption of global fish oils shows a different story of growing competition between aquaculture and dietary supplements for human consumption. Forecasts suggest that by 2034, nearly 60% of fish oil (0.9 million tonnes) will be utilised by aquaculture. Farmed salmonids will be the largest aquaculture consumer, with salmonid producing nations like Norway, Chile, Turkiye, and UK continuing to be the main consumers. The remaining 40%+ will be consumed mostly by direct human consumption (pharmaceutical) and pet food applications.

The OECD-FAO study predicts that the quantity of capture fisheries production that is made into fishmeal and fish oil will show an upward trend in the next decade, compared to the previous decade. While the total volume will vary between 15 million tonnes in El Niño years and 17 million tonnes during peak fishing years, the total fishery resource used for direct rendering (forage use) remains well below the 26 millions tonnes of fish which which were used in the 1990s.

Global production of fishmeal and fish oil is projected to reach 5.9 million tonnes and 1.5 million tonnes by 2034, respectively, representing a 12% increase for both ingredients compared to the base period. Much of this increase is likely to come from fish by-products, with their use in fishmeal production steadily rising over the past decade reaching almost 40% (2 million tonnes) of total production in 2023 (Figure 3). This is likely to continue, driven by the growing demand for fish fillets by consumers, which generates more by-product resource for marine ingredient production. For fish oil, the proportion sourced from by-products exceeds that of fishmeal due to the high oil levels in the waste streams from some aquaculture production sectors (e.g. salmon and pangasius). More than 54% (0.66 million tonnes) of all fish oils came from by-products in 2023. This growth is expected to continue albeit at a slower pace in the next decade.

The OECD-FAO study projects that global exports of fishmeal will rise by 8% relative to the base period, reaching 3.8 million tonnes by 2034. The world’s largest fishmeal exporting country, Peru, is expected to record one of the highest growth rates over the next decade, driven largely by a rebound from the unusually low export volumes recorded during base period of the OECD-FAO study, when it experienced a very strong El Niño event.

China will continue as the dominant global fishmeal importer, accounting for more than half of all imports by 2034. This reflects the growing demand from its aquaculture sector. In contrast, fishmeal imports from other traditional importing countries, such as Norway and the European Union (EU), are projected to decrease as China takes a growing share of production.

Exports of fish oil are forecast to increase by 9% by 2034. Peru, Viet Nam, and Europe will lead global exports of fish oil. In Viet Nam, exports of fish oil will primarily consist of used cooking fish (pangasius) oil exported to the US, where it competes in price with used vegetable cooking oil. The EU, Norway and the United States will remain the primary importing markets over the next decade.

Prices of fish oils are expected to decline in both nominal (-7.5%) and real (-26%) terms over the next decade, reflecting the unusually high prices in the base period (Figure 4). These high fish oil prices during the base period (2022-2024) were caused by combination of unusually low harvests of anchoveta in Peru associated with the 2023 El Niño event and high global vegetable oil prices. 

The OECD-FAO study predicts the price of fish oil to decline until 2028 in real terms before returning to its historic trend of slow growth due to continuing demand from aquaculture feed and human consumption demands. Prices of fishmeal over the next decade are projected to increase in nominal terms (10%) but decline in real terms (-12%). The real term decline is projected to be significantly lower than in the previous
decade, when prices declined 24% from their historic peak in 2013-14. A continued decline in fishmeal prices is forecast in the short-term before settling into their historic pattern of remaining relatively stable on average but with potential price movement due to any El Niño event impacts that may occur over the coming decade. Overall, the future for marine ingredients looks to be steady and transitioning. Growth over the next decade will be limited (~12%), and likely to continue to be affected by global climatic weather like El Niño events. Increasingly the sector will transition from relying on whole wild fish to more use of fish by-product streams, serving an important role in the circular food economy as it seeks to retain important nutrients within our foodsystem.

Consistent with trends over the past decade, aquaculture feeds will become increasingly reliant on grain products to supply most of their nutrients, while marine ingredients will continue to play a strategic role.

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Cebu’s Oversea milkfish hatchery is scaling up production of size 3 fry to meet growing demand from farms across the Visayas and Mindanao. While the hatchery has maintained a steady output, consistency remains a challenge due to fluctuating weather patterns, particularly reduced sunlight and lower temperatures. Milkfish Chanos Chanos, commonly known as ‘bangus’ remains the Philippines’ most widely consumed marine fish. Farmed in brackish water ponds, pens and marine cages in almost all provinces in the Philippines, milkfish is the most accessible and affordable marine fish ata farmgate price of PHP180/kg (USD3.1). Production of farmed milkfish was 400,246 tonnes in 2025 (PSA,2025).

Industry challenge: Persistent national fry deficit

However, a shortfall in local fry production is creating along-standing supply gap affecting the entire industry. The national milkfish industry requires at least 4 billion fry annually. In the first half of 2025, collectively, local and government hatcheries produced 530 million fry and fry imports total led 2 billion (Table 1). In 2024, the total milkfish supply in the country was 3.04 billion. 

Current production levels and structural constraints continue to keep the country dependent on imports. To reduce reliance on imports, since 2018, SEAFDEC-AQD (Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center-Aquaculture Department) and Department of Agriculture– Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR)have been reviving and constructing several milkfish hatcheries nationwide under the Fry Sufficiency Program.

Broodstock management: High investment for large inventory

A recent trip to the Oversea milkfish hatchery in Cebu revealed that running such a facility is challenging. While it is not the largest hatchery in the Visayas, it has consistently produced size 3 fry (graded length 10-12mm) to supply local and regional farm.

Gina Melendres, Manager of the 2ha hatchery complex, part of Oversea Feed Corporation aquaculture business which encompasses feed production for shrimp and fish (tilapia and milkfish), farming and milkfish and shrimp hatcheries said, “In the Philippines, milkfish hatcheries maintain their own broodstock. This is a big challenge as broodstock take sup most of the space here. Imagine, we have 600 spawners, each around 10-20kg. We maintain them over 7 years until they are ready for spawning. We also have some 30-year-old broodstock, donated by SEAFDEC-AQD which still provide good quality eggs.”

“We also get wild fry and grow-out in cages and at 5 years old, we then choose the shooters to transfer to tanks,” added Gina who started her aquaculture career in 1988 in this hatchery 

Tank conditions and water management

“It is costly to maintain such a large number of broodstock,”added Ramir Dacullo, National Feed Sales Manager. “We keep them in large cement rectangular tanks in a covered area. These are 2.5m deep and each hold 250cm3of water. Both males and the larger females are kept together at a ratio of 1:1. Reflecting milkfish sensitivity to temperature and water quality, the daily water exchange for these broodstock tanks is 100%.” The current cold-season temperatures have prompted the hatchery to explore heating incoming water as well as partial water recirculation options.

Nutrition and conditioning

The Oversea Feed mill produces slow sinking extruded broodstock feeds for both the maintenance and spawning phases. Technicians monitor body condition or fatness to determine spawning readiness. “During spawning mode, feed rations increase to 9kg per 100 fish per day,” said Gina. Technicians spend a lot of time feeding the broodstock to satiation.

Spawning performance and environmental control

“Peak fecundity is between 6–10 years but it all depend son broodstock management, nutrition, and spawning environment,” explained Gina. Natural spawning is practised exclusively, with temperature control as the primary trigger. Successful spawning occurs at 27°C,while temperatures below 25°C inhibit egg release. Technicians observe fish activity. Overnight splashing of water indicates the start of the courting process. The next day they gently siphoned out the eggs from the spawning tanks. Peak spawning aligns with natural cycles, March, April, June and July. This is a pattern that Gina said matches the natural spawning cycle seen in the wild. There is only natural spawning at this hatchery, induced by controlling temperature at around 27°C. Although SEAFDEC has developed induced-spawning protocols, the hatchery avoids them so as not to stress the fish; furthermore, technicians must have the skill required to handle frequent handling.

Larval rearing: An 18 day cycle tosize 3 fry

First feeding larvae starts with live feed at two days post hatch (DPH2). These are Brachionus plicatilis(L typerotifers) mass produced in outdoor tanks. This is then followed by rotifers plus powdered feed. “This 45% crude protein, 300μm micro diet is produced exclusively by our feedmill for internal use. Three days before harvest(DPH18), fry receive Artemia  to improve energy reserves for transport,” said Gina. The live feed team indicated that rotifer production drops during rainy periods due to reduced sunlight. Gina noted, “We prefer to use powdered feeds rather than depend on the live feed. We enrich the rotifers with vitamin C.

The production cycle from eggs to size 3 fry takes 18 days. Fry are supplied to local farmers for direct pond stocking for grow-out to marketable fish of 400-500g in 4 months or to produce juveniles over 2 months for stocking cages and pens. Distribution is focused on Cebu, Visayas, and Mindanao. While growing fry to juveniles could increase profitability, Gina said that space constraints limit the hatchery to fry only operations. Furthermore, it is difficult and costly to transport juveniles.

Survival rate: Incremental gains and higher targets

This determines the success of hatcheries. SEAFDEC-AQD benchmarks egg-to-fry survival at 20–30% for well-managed hatcheries. Ramir noted that over the years, the Oversea hatchery team has improved survival rates from egg hatching to DPH18. Years ago, survival was only 20% and this gradually increased to 25-30%.The team said that the most critical stage is from DPH2 toDPH9, when the larvae is very sensitive to environmental  changes. At DPH9, fry is bigger and eat well. In 2025,the survival achieved up to DPH9 stage was 50% and consequently to the fry stage, it was 35%.

Scaling up: Infrastructure adjustments and production goals

The hatchery produced 24million size 3 fry in 2025. Its January 2026 output has already reached 2.3million fry, attributed to infrastructure improvements—specifically shifting from fully covered to partially covered live feed areas to optimise sunlight exposure. Poor performance in January 2025 at 800,000 fry was linked to frequent rains and insufficient sunlight. This year, management has set an ambitious 50% survival target which the team is confident of fulfilling.

Good market position

Local fry are priced at PHP480 (USD8.3) per 1,000 fry compared to PHP200 (USD3.4) per 1,000 fry imported from Indonesia. Despite the price gap, farmers prefer locally produced fry due to significantly higher survival. Most imported fry go to farms in Iloilo, according to Gina.

“Although our fry costs more, our customers are happy with a high survival rate of 70-80% compared to reported survival of less than 20% with imported fry from Indonesia. At one time, farmers complained on size variation which we addressed through improved grading,” said Ramir

Outlook

With strengthened broodstock management, refined larval protocols, and infrastructure upgrades, Oversea’s Cebu hatchery is positioned to contribute more significantly to regional fry sufficiency. Continued improvements in environmental control and survival rates will be critical to meeting the 2026 production target and supporting the broader national goal of reducing dependence on imported fry.

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Dragoș Mircea discussed his battle with TPD at his two farms in Vietnam and the lessons learnt

In early 2025, translucent post larvae disease (TPD) became a major issue in Vietnam. At TARS 2025, held in August, Dragoș Mircea, CEO of Good Tôm (a shrimp farming startup), discussed his experience tackling TPD at his two shrimp farms and shared relevant field data and insights gained from managing this disease.

Good Tôm (Good Shrimp) operates a 2ha research farm and a 10ha production farm in Bac Lieu, Mekong Delta. The farms use intensive, circular, HDPE-lined ponds (350–1000m³), with biosecurity fencing, automated feeding and waste removal, together with data-based, precise protocols. He runs 3–4 annual cycles targeting size 30-40/50 per kg. Stocking density is typically 200 PL/m² during grow-out. The aim is an antibiotic-free, profitable and sustainable farming, adjusting stocking density as needed to ensure that carrying capacity is not exceeded. 

“We had some great, very profitable crops, with shrimp sizes 27-40/kg and 70-83% survival rates. We also had EHP outbreaks, producing size 80-100/kg, and some crops with 50-60% survival rates. TPD was a different experience,”  said Dragoș Mircea.

Three TPD outbreaks
Both farms encountered TPD outbreaks. The first occurred in December 2024, the second in February 2025, and both were in Farm 1. The third case was in May 2025 in Farm 2. In two outbreaks, he linked the source to hatcheries and for one of them, a water borne source. Mortality was high, usually well over 50%, but not precisely measured until harvest. TPD diagnosis was confirmed by PCR.

Case one

“In the beginning, my technicians reported unusual observations. The shrimp exhibited pallor, mortality began at DOC6, transparency increased, and the gut was no longer visible. Despite interventions, mortalities could not be contained,” stated Dragoș. Mortality rates rose sharply, with estimated losses exceeding 50% within several days (Figure 1). In ponds 2 and 3, mortality persisted through DOC75 and remained unmitigated. By DOC110, survival was recorded at 33%, with FCR of 1.75. In pond 1, significant mortality continued for an additional 20 days before stabilising. Although these ponds showed improved survival, managing them remained highly challenging, said Dragoș. 

An outlier

This is pond 4 where shrimp showed sharp mortality(~75%) until DOC 25-30 at the nursery phase, but as they were transferred to grow-out ponds, it was an easy cycle with survival at 85-90%, resulting in strong economic outcomes. “In the prolonged nursery phase which began with PL12, the shrimp recovered somewhat, and mortality stabilised. Shrimp grew to size 27/kg. How did we do this? To reduce Vibrio parahaemolyticus in the gut and water, we used water disinfectants, feed probiotics, organic acids and phytogenics, along with extended probiotic and carbon use in the grow-out pond before transfer from the nursery. I was hoping that V. parahaemolyticus TPD will reduce below its lethal threshold and/or evolve into a no nor less deadly strain. 

Dragoș explained, “This gave us the confidence to keep the crop. We continued as usual, distributing the shrimp among the available grow-out ponds. As a result, the density was lower than our typical practice—60–80/m3at harvest, instead of the usual 150+ PL/m3. We had three ponds with TPD shrimp, which we harvested at around DOC 110–115.The shrimp sold for a premium of USD 6-7/kg, partly because it was Chinese New Year (Tet in Vietnam) when prices were high, and because supply was low due to many farms facing TPD.”

Case two

A hatchery-linked outbreak with high TPD levels (confirmed by plating and PCR) caused ongoing mortality for 45 days. The post-larvae came from a different hatchery. The crop was terminated, as the same intervention from case 1 was in effective. Mortality decreased after 15 days but persisted until the crop was abandoned at DOC 45 with shrimp size~300/kg.

Case three

This was likely a waterborne outbreak in a single pond. The same batch of post-larvae was stocked in several ponds but only one pond had a TPD outbreak. “We believe that shrimp contracted TPD from poorly disinfected pond water. Economic performance was acceptable, as the shrimp recovered relatively fast in this instance. ”Early intervention, strong disinfection and biosecurity containment prevented the spread. Survival was 50-60%post challenge. The cycle finished with a survival rate of35%, size 40 CAL, in 95 days.

Lessons to manage TPDTPD is among the most severe diseases affecting shrimp farming. Drawing from his experience with TPD, Dragoș categorised key lessons into methods for prevention and containment:

• Preventing TPD requires sourcing post-larvae from reputable hatcheries and verifying their quality. This isthe most important step.
• It is prudent to always assume water sources may be contaminated with TPD and to implement effective water treatment protocols. For instance, high pH level scan reduce chlorine’s efficacy. In Vietnam, it is advisable to presume TPD is present in nearby canals and to apply the required dose of disinfectant before stocking.
• The use of nursery ponds will limit the spread of TPD within the farm. This will also minimise economic losses as smaller volumes of water will be compromised.
• Implementing biosecurity measures has proven effective in limiting the spread of TPD, as demonstrated in case 3

Dragoș added, “While this may not be the ideal solution, farmers who choose to retain TPD-infected shrimp may consider approaches aimed at strengthening shrimp health, reducing horizontal transmission, and optimising gut health.” These are outlined in the table below

The message was “We noticed that the outcome was mixed, despite using the same protocols. It was an unpredictable disease and we suspected we were dealing with different strains of TPD.

”Post note by Dragoș. As an update on TPD since TARS2025 – outbreaks have decreased significantly, I have not heard of it much in the South of Vietnam this season. Probably hatcheries figured out a way to prevent it, and the consensus has always been that it came from them.

The diagnostics gap: Early detection of pathogens

“There is the financial toll of disease across board,” said Kit Yong, Founder of Forte Biotech, as he highlighted the harsh economic realities faced by aquaculture farmers across Southeast Asia in a presentation at TARS 2025on shrimp aquaculture, in August 2025. “When disease strikes, farmers lose their harvest and income while feedmills and dealers risk losing receivables tied up in ponds for one to three months. Furthermore, credit chains are disrupted, straining cash flow across the value chain.”

“Time is the most critical factor in disease management. Early detection, that is within the first 24 hours of infection, can significantly reduce financial losses. With timely diagnostics, farmers can conduct emergency harvesting, remove infected stocks early, save feed, labour and medication costs and prevent wider spread to neighbouring farms.

“The startup, Forte Biotech has been piloting on-site diagnostic tools with farmers across Southeast Asia and reports detecting white spot outbreaks up to seven days before visible symptoms appear. This early warning window allows farmers and their partners to take preventive action rather than reacting to catastrophic losses.

The company offers customisable, on-site diagnostic tools, white label partnerships, subscription models and AI driven advisory support to help farmers interpretresults and optimise treatment timing. Its TPD assay was ready for use recently. It runs on the RAPID devices with the same simple workflow: extract, load and get quantitative results in one hour on site. “We have since then, tested this with TPD isolates in Vietnam,” added Kit

The post Learnings from managing TPD in Vietnam appeared first on Aqua Culture Asia Pacific.

Global shrimp production was expected to rise in 2025 with key producers such as Ecuador leading growth, while Asia showed a modest increase with variations across countries. China’s output was  projected to decline due to disease and regulatory restrictions. The overall outlook points to expanding supply but highlights regional disparities and challenges.

Global production is up in 2025 Shrimp production in 2025, driven by Asia and Latin America, is expected to increase moderately compared to 2024. At Shrimp Summit 2025, held in June in Bali, Indonesia, the Kontali team predicted that vannamei shrimp production will rise to 5.84 million tonnes, reflecting a 6% growth from 5.5 million tonnes in 2024.

In October, at the Responsible Seafood Summit 2025 in Cartagena, Colombia, RaboResearch and the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA-Rabobank) presented results of the survey on global vannamei shrimp supply. Production is expected to grow only 2–3% in 2025 to 6.1 million tonnes. The survey reported a 4% increase in global supply of the black tiger shrimp led by Vietnam, China, India and Bangladesh.

A global view on supply from top producers
Growth forecasts on Ecuador’s production in 2025, included Gorjan Nikolik’s (RaboResearch) at 15%. At TARS 2025, held in Chiangmai Thailand, in August, it was an almost 18% indicative growth reaching 1.75 million tonnes, by Vitapro’s Pablo Montalbetti Gómez de la Torre. At the Global Shrimp Forum (GSF 2025) Sandro Coglitore, Omarsa clarified that 2024 was a flat year for Ecuador as it was in a consolidation process. Farms that had changed hands were brought back online and
resumed production in 2025. A notable surge in growth in 2025, is expected to continue into 2026. Numerous farms are still undergoing ownership changes, which will impact the industry’s dynamics Ecuador’s shrimp industry continues to be the “idol” with 3-phase models: low stocking density (relative to that in most of Asia), nursery systems and almost 4 cycles/year.  The news from Ecuador is that large farms buy up smaller farms, and they are increasing stocking density in low saline areas to 25-30 PL/m2 and even as high as 40 PL/m².

GSA-Rabobank had forecasted a 2% growth in Asian production for the year 2025. The general view is a declining production in Southeast Asia while India’s production is stagnant. Some trends suggested rising volumes for India (5.0%), lower volumes in Vietnam (-2%) and Thailand (-1%). GSA-Rabobank expected no growth in Indonesia and volumes to remain at 350,000 tonnes.

Below are some shared perspectives by local industry stakeholders regarding the situation with both vannamei and black tiger shrimp in 2025. 

EHP and regulations restrict production in China
The China Statistical Yearbook reported a 2025 production of 2.37 million tonnes of vannamei shrimp. Amber Chen, Nutriera, China noted that 1.53 million tonnes were from saline systems and some 880,000 tonnes came from freshwater farming. Several industry players provided lower estimates. FuCi Guo, MSD Animal Health suggested around 1.7 million tonnes of shrimp production and vannamei accounted for 88%. Most domestic shrimp are consumed domestically and generally of smaller size. Farmers adjust their plans and shift to alternative species, based on price signals and import surges, said Louis Zhou, HuaXin Food Group, at GSF 2025.

Industry also expect lower volumes in 2025 compared to 2024, due to stricter regulations on groundwater use and wastewater discharge enforced by both local and central authorities, slow down in local government investment in  greenhouses and Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) outbreaks. Guo said intensive farming in small greenhouses emerged as the main strategy for increasing production but lately small greenhouse farms in Jiangsu and Shandong have closed. Back in 2024, 450,000 of these 0.4ha greenhouses, were expected to contribute 450,000 tonnes/year.

Managing EHP well in India
A recent 2025 Society of Aquaculture Professionals (SAP) crop review reported production rising to 1.05 million tonnes, with 989,000 tonnes of vannamei and 60,500 tonnes of black tiger shrimp, according to SAP President Saji Chacko. During a SAP session at World Aquaculture 2025 India in November, higher output was anticipated in all regions, especially the
west and north at 10-15%.

There have been production improvements over the past three years due to changes in stocking density. Multiple partial harvests—from shrimp size 100/kg down to 60, 40 and finally 20/kg —have boosted farmer profits, with some achieving three cycles annually. Nursery rearing also contributed to these gains. EHP was a persistent issue for over three years, but Indian farmers reportedly managed it in 2025, through crop cycle adjustments and selecting suitable post larvae from various broodstock lines, according to Ganesh Moorthy, CP India. With multiple genetic lines now available, farmers are eager to verify the specific line of purchased post larvae (balanced, fast, or hardy).

In southern India, some farms start with a vannamei crop, followed by black tiger and then a vannamei crop again. Almost 30-40% of farms achieve five crops in two years. The stocking density for vannamei shrimp was 40- 60PL/m2.

A priority in India is building its domestic market. Since processors prefer to focus on exports and offer little support, farmers are creating their own local fresh markets at the district level. According to Ganesh, domestic consumption has grown.

TPD, disease and high costs in Vietnam

The feed industry in Vietnam was clear that there was a gradual recovery compared to the prior year in vannamei shrimp production, but estimates on volumes differed from 470,000 to 600,000 tonnes. Export vs domestic market ratio is 70:30. The domestic sector remains significant for risk-averse farmers, absorbing fresh and mid-size shrimp grades with greater price volatility.

In the first quarter 2025, translucent post larvae disease (TPD) posed significant challenges at the hatchery and grow-out stages, according to Chewen Wei, Uni-President Vietnam Co Ltd. “Farmers lost confidence, which led to delayed pond stocking and lower stocking densities. Stocking activities gradually normalised from April. These Q1 delays affected overall annual production,” said Wei. “Persistent disease and environmental issues discouraged pond restocking,” said Ton That De, Viet Uc at GSF 2025. He added that lower farming success rates with survival rates down to 50% were attributed to higher density farming practices. With these risks, together with other challenges and rising costs, some have opted for fast growth genetic lines to harvest as fast as possible. In the Mekong Delta, structural transformation occurred in 2025, reported Wei. These included improved pond infrastructure, enhanced water treatment systems, advanced management practices, and risk segmentation strategies. Both farming success rates and production stability improved in key areas. Ton estimated that soon the ratio of small farms: large farms will shift to 70:30 from the current 90:10. 

Continuous low volumes in Thailand
Official data from the Department of Fisheries (DOF) showed a 0.7% decline for vannamei shrimp production to 232,807 tonnes. Industry sources gave a higher estimate of 380,000 tonnes.

“Flooding in the south caused crop losses of 10–30 tonnes per farm, while cold weather in central Thailand brought down temperatures to 23-24°C and led to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and yellow head virus (YHV) outbreaks and reduced feed intake,”

said Soraphat Panakorn, President, Thailand Aquaculture Business Association (TABA). 

Indonesia: Pushing boundaries
As production fell in Q4 2025, a 25-30% decrease was projected for 2025 to only 230,000-245,000 tonnes. Haris Muhtadi, CJ Feed & Care, Indonesia cited EHP and AHPND as major causes of decline in farm productivity. He added that for some farmers, the key problem was high stocking densities. In Indonesia, low density is <80 PL/m2; median 80-150 PL/m2 and high >150 PL/m2 (Shrimp Outlook, 2025). In East Java, farm output improved when farmers lowered stocking density by 10-15%. They improved water quality by extending water supply intake lines from 400-500m to 1,000m.

At Shrimp Summit 2025, Haris stressed how over the last ten years, farms managed cash flow with several partial harvests, starting from 60 days until the final harvest at 115-120 days. To maintain carrying capacity, intensive farms may have 3-5 of partial harvests, periodically or when dissolved oxygen goes below 4ppm and biomass is 300-400kg/HP. “We are “pushing the environment” which is not sustainable,” said Haris. New farming areas in the eastern part of the archipelago are being exploited when areas in Sumatra and Java are exhausted, allowing for yields of 50-60 tonnes/ha/crop in new farms as compared to 20 tonnes/ha/crop in the older farms

Veering towards farming black tiger shrimp
The GSA-Rabobank Summit Survey 2025 noted that “Asian farmers are switching back to black tiger shrimp in search of better prices and farm profitability”. Data showed an increase of 4% to around 650,000 tonnes, led by Vietnam at 200,000 tonnes. McIntosh gave estimates of only 538,000 tonnes for 2025 (Table 2).

“In India, black tiger shrimp output has been rising and can be expected to increase in 2026,” said Ganesh. Driving India’s black tiger farming revival are broodstock from Unibio (Madagascar) and Moana (USA) as well as the locally developed Nicobar line by RGCA- Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture. CP India is using this local line to produce 150 million PL in 2025, and targets 400 million PL in 2026. Recently, Unibio has emerged as a leading producer, with around 2.4 billion PL in 2025. It is expected to produce 3.0 billion PL in 2026. The stocking density was 7-10PL/m² rising to 20PL/m². In October, farmgate prices in Andhra Pradesh, India, for size 30/kg vannamei shrimp was USD4.71/kg versus USD5.5/kg for black tiger shrimp.

Thailand’s 2025 production of black tiger shrimp rose by 23.4% to 19,589 tonnes (DOF, 2025), as vannamei farmers struggled with challenges on choosing suitable genetic lines and reliable post larvae quality, prompting many to switch species. In 2025, Malaysia’s total production was 42,000 tonnes at 60:40 vannamei: blacktiger shrimp. As farmers faced issues with vannamei post larvae, many shifted to farming the black tiger shrimp.

Farmgate prices

In 2025, Vietnam led with the highest farmgate prices for size 60/kg vannamei shrimp. There was, however, extreme volatility, linked to supply issues. At year-end, Vietnam had the highest USD price per kg at 4.84,followed by India (3.87), Ecuador (3.09), and Indonesia(3.04, Figure 1).According to industry, farmgate prices reflected production dynamics arising from disease outbreaks. Due to price differences, Shrimp Insights reported that YTD September, India exported 50,500 tonnes to Vietnam, likely for reprocessing. Indonesia already had the lowest farmgate prices and in August, the caesium-137debacle, lowered these further, from USD3.97/kg toUSD2.89-3.04/kg. JALA also reported lower prices(USD2.43-2.55/kg) since October.

Reactions on tariffs and recent market uncertainties Aside from exporting head-on, shell-on (HOSO) shrimp to China, Ecuador’s processors are taking advantage of its low US tariffs (10%) to capture the peeled products market. In July, value added accounted for 31% of exports to date, compared to 28% for the whole of 2024,up from 20% of exports in 2021 (Montalbetti, 2025).The US is Indonesia’s largest and most important market. At the Shrimp Aquaculture Conference 2025(SAC), a panel noted that the industry is not ready to export to the EU because of the latter’s focus on sustainability. By end 2025, Indonesia had pivoted 10% of exports to China (Shrimp Insights 2025). While exports to the US declined by 43%, India increased its exports to China (+33%) and to the EU (+58%). Value addition increased 27%. (Chacko, 2025).

Outlook for 2026: Uncertain for Asian producers

The prospects for Asian shrimp producers in 2026 remainun certain and highly variable across the region. An industry source expects Indonesia’s production to exceed 300,000tonnes if PT Bahari Makmur Sejati (BMS Foods), the Indonesian food processor which was flagged by the USFDA for Cs137 contaminated shrimp exports, resumes operations in early 2026.

India has reached a production milestone of one million tonnes, according to SAP. However, India must focus on increasing domestic consumption, which currently stands at just 100,000 tonnes, with a target to reach 30% of total production by 2030.

India and Indonesia have a major regulatory hurdle. Both countries are not in the approved list regarding the control on antibiotic use under the EU Regulation (2023/905).This requires all exporting countries to be in the list by 3September 2026. Failure to be included on this list will block exports of animal-origin products, including shrimp and fish, to the EU.

Vietnamese exporters must contend with a new non-tariff barrier in the EU and UK. From 2026, major retailers will require stricter animal welfare standards. Specifically, shrimp must be completely stunned, typically through electrical methods, prior to ice immersion—replacing the traditional cold-shock approach. Leading UK retailers such as Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, and Waitrose have already integrated these requirements into their procurement policies, making compliance essential for maintaining approved supplier status.

After 13 years of stagnant production, the Thai Shrimp Association has urged the government to declare a ‘National Agenda’ – recovery of the shrimp industry and to target 400,000 tonnes in 2026. Thailand’s shrimp production peaked at 600,000 tonnes in 2011 but dropped by half in 2013 due to early mortality syndrome (EMS) or AHPND outbreaks.

Ekapoj Yodpinit, president of the association has two objectives. An opportunity for Thai shrimp to capture the US market from India, since Thailand’s tariff is only19% as compared to India’s 58%. Accelerating free trade agreements with the EU, UK and Korea could recover 60,000 tonnes of lost export after Thailand lost privileges under the Generalised System of Preferences(GSP) in the EU in 2015 and recently in 2020 in the US.

In summary, 2026 will present a complex and evolving environment for Asian shrimp producers, shaped by stagnant or uneven production growth, uncertainties with tariffs, shifting export strategies, and increasingly stringent regulatory requirements in key markets.

Reference Shrimp Insights (2025).https://www.shrimpinsights.com/price-portal

January/February 2026 AQUA Culture Asia Pacific Page 26-29

The post Asian shrimp in 2025: Steady supply and price volatility appeared first on Aqua Culture Asia Pacific.

A strategic leap forward in precision aquaculture with wireless connectivity in shrimp feeding and acoustic monitoring to help farmers boost feed efficiency, and optimise pond performance.

At AQ1, innovation begins with listening. Over the years, we have worked closely with shrimp farmers, gathering feedback and conducting extensive field research to better understand shrimp feeding behaviour and the operational challenges faced in real-world pond environments. Now, that commitment to listening has inspired our next leap forward: AQ1’s next-generation smart feeding ecosystem begins with the Smart Hydrophone—a breakthrough device for shrimp farmers, built to integrate with future AQ1 technologies for unmatched performance.

Designed with farmers in mind Traditional hydrophones have been limited by 90m cables, restricting placement and often requiring compromises in pond layout. The Smart Hydrophone changes that. With a wireless connectivity range of up to 250m, farmers can now position hydrophones exactly where they are most effective, whether in large extensive ponds (up to 10ha)or complex intensive systems (Figure 1). This flexibility not only improves feeding accuracy but also reduces infrastructure complexity, minimises interference, and lowers maintenance requirements by removing long datacables from the equation.

The Smart Hydrophone features a novel built-in self-diagnostic system. This proactive monitoring helps farmers detect issues early, reducing downtime and ensuring consistent feeding performance.

Our decision to move away from cabled hydrophones is grounded in years of field data and direct customer feedback. Research has shown that the effective listening range of a hydrophone varies significantly depending on pond conditions. To optimise detection of shrimp feeding activity, we recommend limiting each hydrophone to a maximum of three feeders per zone, a configuration that improves acoustic signal clarity and feeding response accuracy.

Optimising feeding with multiple zones

Feeding efficiency is a cornerstone of successful shrimp farming, and AQ1’s research has shown that multiple feeding zones with fewer feeders per zone offer a more effective and responsive approach to feed delivery. This configuration allows the sonic algorithm to accurately detect and respond to shrimp feeding behaviour, resulting in better feed utilisation and more uniform growth.

Shrimp feeding sounds can be masked by background noise or diluted across large areas. By limiting the number of feeders per hydrophone to a maximum of three, farmer scan ensure that the hydrophone receives a clear and concentrated acoustic signal. This improves the accuracy of the system’s response and helps avoid overfeeding or underfeeding in any zone.

The Smart Hydrophone’s wireless design also brings major benefits to intensive pond systems, where space is limited and infrastructure is dense. In these environments, the presence of numerous electrical cables can cause interference, which may affect the sensitivity and accuracy of sonic feeding detection. By eliminating the need for long data cables, the SM1 reduces this interference risk and simplifies installation.

How does shrimp benefit from multiple feeding zones?

At AQ1, we have spent years observing shrimp feeding behaviour across ponds and discovered a key insight: feeding activity is not uniform. Shrimp tend to feed more intensely at specific times of day and show a clear preference for certain areas within the pond.

To help farmers respond to this variability, we have expanded our feeding zone capability from two zones(wired connection to SF200, limited to 90m) to four zones (wireless connection to SF200, up to 250m).This upgrade reflects our behavioural insights and offers a seamless pathway for existing AQ1 controllers to scale; enabling more precise, responsive feeding aligned with shrimp behaviour.

Shrimp thrive when food is accessible, delivered where and when it is needed, and aligned with their natural rhythms. Implementing multiple feeding zones, especially when paired with AQ1’s sonic feeding technology, offers a range of biological and operational benefits:

•Reduced competition and stress: Distributing feed across zones reduces crowding and aggressive behavior, improving shrimp welfare.

•More uniform growth: Equal access to feed minimises size variation, leading to better harvest consistency and pricing.

•Optimum feed conversion ratios (FCR): Feed is delivered only when shrimp are actively feeding, reducing waste and improving efficiency.

•Enhanced water quality: Even feed distribution and real-time control help prevent overfeeding and maintain better pond conditions.

•Adaptability to pond conditions: Multiple zones allow feeding strategies to be tailored to pond shape, depth, and water flow. 

“At AQ1, we have spent years observing shrimp feeding behaviour across ponds and discovered a key insight: feeding activity is not uniform.”

How does the smart hydrophone help farmers expand and manage feeding zones? The Smart Hydrophone is designed to make multi-zone feeding practical and scalable (Figure 3). Here is how item powers farmers:

•Wireless flexibility: Hydrophones can be placed exactly where needed, up to 250m from the controller, without cable constraints.

•Zone expansion: Each SF200 controller can now manage four Smart Hydrophones, doubling the number of feeding zones from two to four.

•Improved accuracy: With fewer feeders per hydrophone and better placement, the system can more precisely detect feeding activity.

•Simplified infrastructure: Especially in intensive systems, removing cables reduces installation complexity and interference.

•Ready for the future: The Smart Hydrophone is designed to integrate with upcoming AQ1 innovations for even greater performance

The Smart Hydrophone is more than just a new product; it is strategic leap forward in precision aquaculture. By enabling flexible, cable-free deployment and supporting more feeding zones per controller, it helps farmers improve efficiency, shrimp health, and operational scalability.

Therefore, whether managing a 10ha extensive pond ora high-density intensive system, the Smart Hydrophone offers the tools to optimise feeding. Backed by AQ1’sdeep commitment to research and innovation, the Smart Hydrophone is setting a new standard for smart, sustainable shrimp farming.

This article was first published in Aqua Culture Asia Pacific January/February  page 18-20 

The post Unlocking the power of smart feeding of vannamei shrimp appeared first on Aqua Culture Asia Pacific.

At TARS 2025 on Shrimp Aquaculture in Chiang Mai, Thailand, industry leaders from Asia and Latin America dissected the shrimp sector, from genetics and production systems to governance and welfare. How does Asia’s shrimp value chain compare to that of Latin America’s far more consolidated model? It was an analysis of the value chain and overcoming shrimp aquaculture dysfunction in Asia.

Ronnie Tan, Aquaculture Consultant at the US Grains and Bioproducts Council and moderator of this Hard Talk, arranged a live simulation of the shrimp value chain with a five-member panel. They were Ravi Kumar Yellanki, Managing Director, Vaisakhi Bio-Marine Pvt Ltd, India, representing genetics and hatcheries; William R. Kramer, Managing Consultant, CCM Agri Aqua Ventures Corp, HP Aquafarm Inc, Philippines, representing the farming segment; feed millers Dr Preecha Ekatumasuit, CEO, TRF Feed Mill Co Ltd, Thailand and Henrik Aarestrup, Vice President, LATAM, Shrimp & Hatchery, BioMar Group, Denmark; and Christopher Tan, Director, Mida Trade Ventures Pte Ltd, Singapore, representing the processor–buyer segment.

“We developed this as some people argue that the value chain in Asia is weak because of our fragmented nature,” clarified Ronnie on why he took this line of thought.

What makes good quality post larvae?
In the debate between nurture versus nature, which matters more to produce high-quality post larvae: genetics or hatchery practices? Ravi Kumar did not pick a side. “Both,” he said. Genetics “forms the foundation,” shaping performance from hatchery to processing. When all is equal, hatchery practices make or break that potential along the value chain.

“Disease-free broodstock, feeding post larvae well, and suppressing Vibrio loads are critical. If hatcheries fail to control Vibrio, they simply pass the inoculum downstream.”

Operational discipline matters. Large hatcheries must stock, sell post larvae, and complete cycles; a modular approach or periodic shutdowns reset Vibrio contamination. The goal is maintaining disease-free status, controlling bacteria, and ensuring robust post larvae.

Ronnie noted that farmers often blame genetics when they are disappointed with post larvae quality. Ravi Kumar pushed back, arguing that while genetic companies can deliver disease-free broodstock and desired traits, “beyond that, there is no role for genetic companies,” as hatchery practices determine outcomes.

From the farmer’s perspective, William framed it as “50–50” once husbandry takes over in the open and highly variable farm environment. On the compensation gimmicks by hatcheries (providing as much as 100% extra post larvae), William objects to offers of bonus post larvae to compensate for weak ones, preferring instead to plan around a realistic 15–20% survival allowance. “What matters to me is headcount in the pond, not freebies.”

Push for shrimp welfare with non-ablation practices
The practice of no eyestalk ablation in shrimp farming is increasingly becoming a certification requirement due to evolving animal welfare standards. Christopher gave his take from a buyer’s perspective.

“We have a clear line here. The high-end European retailers often impose non-eyestalk ablation production on welfare grounds. However, 95% of the commodity market is not so easily persuaded on non-ablation.”

Are buyers willing to pay more? “No,” added Christopher. “The cost must land somewhere else in the value chain.”

Technically, Ravi Kumar said that there are some advantages to non-ablation of vannamei shrimp broodstock.

“We can run without ablation for lines with strong reproductive efficiency. But not with the monodon shrimp, at least for now.”

He added that even within vannamei shrimp, low-reproduction lines still require ablation to achieve mating frequency and nauplii volumes.

“When non-ablation works, output equalises by the second month; mating percentages catch up, and broodstock can remain productive longer, up to 5 months from the 3.5 months with ablation practices. Hatchery survival rates seem better with post larvae from non-ablated broodstock.” He added that although field evidence suggests that post larvae from non-ablated broodstock are robust, it would be necessary to compare data on the field performance of post larvae from the same batch of broodstock, half of them ablated and the other half non-ablated.

On costs, Ravi Kumar said,

“There is no extra cost for non-ablated vannamei, provided the broodstock is from lines with good reproductive efficiency. For weaker lines, costs rise, which forces hatcheries to revert to ablation.”

Which to stock: PL10-12 or PL35 juveniles?
Ronnie sought feedback comparing Asia and Ecuador. Is there a cost advantage in using PL12 versus PL35 juveniles? As a farmer in the Philippines, William said, Personally given the conditions at our farm, we prefer stocking PL10-12 in our nursery or mother ponds at a maximum of 900PL/m2). We start transferring juveniles starting at 23 to 30 days of culture to respective grow-out ponds at densities of 130 to 150/m2. Our ponds average 1,300m2.”

Henrik described the Ecuadorian approach. There is an entirely different practice, linked with integration. Despite stereotypes, PL35 is not a hatchery product; it is farm reared. “In Ecuador, PL35 is part of the farm, not sold by hatcheries. Most transactions are still for PL10–PL12, but consolidation is pulling hatcheries into integrated groups. Big farmers are owning hatcheries and genetics. Therefore, published “market prices” are blurred within intra-group transfers.”

The panel discussed whether nurseries are part of the farm or standalone. Preecha explained the changes in Thailand. “Today, small farms increasingly coordinate with hatcheries to produce larger post larvae (PL17–PL18). Farms with more ‘modern operations’ ask for PL35–PL40 or so-called “jumbo” post larvae around 0.5g. Standalone nurseries flourished five years ago but have struggled. They have seen lower survival rates as post larvae sizes increase, while feed needs climbed and transport costs increased.”

In Thailand, size, and distance complicate matters. A truck transporting 300,000 small post larvae can take only 30,000-50,000 jumbo post larvae. At the farm, stocking is usually at 300,000-400,000PL, which needs 10 trips for the truck. “Therefore, for many Thai farmers, PL12 remains the norm,” said Preecha.

Integration and the salmon lesson
Henrik spoke on Ecuador’s semi-integration model. He described this as more of a “joint venture,” where feed millers have agreements with large producers.

“Similar to that in the salmon industry, they will split feed contracts into major, medium, and minority suppliers in order to have negotiating leverage and not depend on just one large feed miller.”

He cautioned that full vertical integration has its downsides.

“You can only negotiate with yourself; you must finance raw materials on top of production and absorb operational risks. The trend reflects the salmon industry, where some integrated groups are even putting feed divisions up for sale, such as Mowi. I would say that the Ecuadorian model is satisfactory.”

Thailand is different, said Preecha.

“TRF is integrated into the shrimp processing system. The whole ecosystem (farming, feed production, and processing) acts as a “society” or “community.” The processor dictates their buying needs (size 50, 30/kg, etc.). This information is passed on to the farmers. We, as feed millers, liaise with farm associations and processors so that farmers plan harvests to meet the processors’ order books.”

Henrik added that Ecuador has a forward or downstream integration. “Farms are buying processing plants to get full control of scale for year-round retail supply. This has boosted traceability. With this advantage in hand, few big farmers want to integrate upstream into feed production.”

When the blame is on feeds
“Feed companies are usually blamed for poor shrimp growth performance,” Ronnie prompted. William responded, “First,B70% of the problem is in the farm. Poor management leads to overfeeding and low survival rates. Farms with best practices can deliver solid returns (ROI) even by using average quality feed.”

Henrik acknowledged that finger-pointing exists but backed a systematic approach at the farm. “Good farm management can even mask a weaker feed. Major customers consistently evaluate various feed suppliers and monitor performance benchmarks. This happens in the shrimp and salmon world.”

Preecha explained that when crops fail, farmers often blame poor post larvae, feed, disease, or climate change. However, he believes that competition among feed mills worldwide has improved feed quality. While feed is important, results depend on three factors: post larvae quality, feed quality, and farm management.

The promise of acoustic feeding
Ecuador has embraced acoustic feeding. AQ1, now part of BioMar, has among the best-known systems. However, acoustic feeding draws scepticism in Asia. Has it really improved the feed conversion ratio (FCR) and sped up cycles in Ecuador?

Henrik affirmed that gains come from the device, nutrition, and the management system it enables. “Together with improved genetics, farms moved from 2–3 cycles/year to 5 or even 6 cycles/year to produce small-size shrimp. However, this system requires large capital investment and strong organisations to roll out and utilise the technology. It is feasible in consolidated Ecuador but is much harder in fragmented Asia.”

Henrik said that by volume, the vast majority of Ecuador’s output comes from acoustic feeding practices. By hectares, there is still room to expand.

In India, Ravi Kumar sees the uptake of smart feeders “catching up,” despite high capital expenditure. Small ponds make manual feeding feasible. “Such technology saves feed by reducing FCR by ~0.2, and keeps pond bottoms cleaner, allowing for longer cycles to produce large-size shrimp. Timed dispensers are not that revolutionary, but acoustic systems really decouple from workforce reliance.”

Preecha concurred with Ravi Kumar. In Asia, small ponds, high stocking density, and environmental sounds complicate the use of sensors. However, he foresees that AI-assisted sound filtering, CCTV for shrimp behaviour monitoring, and integration with aerator telemetry will help.

William echoed on the Philippines’ lag. “Acoustic feeding is not considered partly because small, intensive ponds have “so much activity” inside and out.” Even so, he accepts the premise that FCR improvements of 0.2-0.3 are plausible.
Henrik reminded that algorithms already filter aeration and pond noise. AQ1 has even solved a bug where a stray sound mimicked clicks of shrimp mandibles.

Post-harvest: Great shrimp, mediocre chains
Some Asian farmers harvest high-quality shrimp, but post-harvest chains fail to preserve them. Can buyers shorten the chain?

Christopher responded that geography is a factor. Indonesia is a large archipelago, and farms with optimal conditions are on remote islands, where it is not feasible to site a processing plant. It takes 3-4 days for the harvest to reach processors.

“However, the irony is that almost 70-80% of global markets accept subpar shrimp. The US, the largest market for peeled shrimp, accepts heavily soaked shrimp. China’s vast dim sum segment values convenience over pristine texture; only Michelin-level niches demand the best quality. So, until the demand changes, supply chains have little incentive to upgrade.”

On the topic of soaking shrimp, Ravi Kumar stated that STPP (sodium tripolyphosphate) at about 5% is commonly used for soaking shrimp. Some buyers, especially in Europe, now prefer chemical-free or alternative “salt” cures.

“Unfortunately, in most markets, even Japan, there is demand for heavily soaked shrimp. European consumers tend to avoid STPP, while allowing for 20–30% glazing. Market preferences are reflected in their willingness to make cost-related decisions,” said Christopher.

Fragmentation as risk or resilience?
Over 70% of Asian shrimp production comes from small- and medium scale farms, while the same share in Ecuador comes from large groups. Is this a strength or a weakness?

Ravi Kumar noted, “In fragmented Asia, exporters often trade rather than own responsibility. Yet the advantage of smallholders is that they are resilient: when they fail, they recover fast. Big corporations, once down, struggle to pivot. His view is that Asia will be unable to integrate rapidly; therefore, collaboration across genetics, hatchery, feed, farm and processing is crucial.

Preecha added that small farms can time their production to China’s “golden periods” (four times a year). They tailor output to preferred colours and sizes and operate with tightly controlled labour costs. The main constraint, however, is financing—high capex tools such as acoustic feeders remain out of reach.

For William, Asia’s fragmentation benefits across more people in the value chain, but the continent’s geographic and operational variability makes standardisation hard, while offering multiple pathways to compete.
Henrik referred to market served. For local live or premium niche markets, small farmers can beat giants. For mass retail with year-round contracts, low cost and traceability, large integrated groups have the edge.

Christopher injected a buyer’s view that “integration must add value”. “Many farmers prefer the freedom to sell to the highest bidder, especially when disease tightens raw material supply and processors, with thousands of workers, must keep lines running. Unless integration improves farm income or risk, farmers will not rush into it.”

What can Ecuador learn from Asia?
This was an open discussion with participants. Henrik sees Ecuador on an intensification journey, while Asia offers a cautionary tale on carrying capacity and limitations on stress and disease. As intensity increase, feeds in Ecuador converge toward those in Asia. For Ravi Kumar, the farming systems are “as different as baseball and cricket,” i.e., huge, open ponds with all pathogen-exposed (APE) broodstock in Ecuador versus smaller, biosecure farms with disease-free stocks in Asia.

Hervé Lucien-Brun, Jefo Nutrition, France, flagged a systemic risk since about 85% of Ecuadorian farming is located on one estuary (Gulf of Guayas), and there has been no study on carrying capacity of water resources. 

Exceeding this could lead to a big crash, as white spot disease (WSD) once did. However, Andrés Rivadulla, BioMar, Ecuador, noted some large groups are already seeking new farming areas outside the gulf, a geographic diversification borrowed from Asia’s painful experience.

Pablo Montalbetti Gómez de la Torre, Vitapro – Alicorp Ecuador, believes that growth must come from intensification, not hectarage. The way is to increase density sustainably, detect early disease signals, and pace growth, despite the pressure to recoup investments.

How can Asian producers position themselves to compete with Ecuador? According to Christopher, there are paths like niche markets such as “live”, “cook-from from live,” certifications or efficiency. However, many niches come and go. “The biggest challenge for most Asian processors is raw-material price volatility. Owning ponds allows you to stabilise input costs, whereas buying externally leaves you at the market’s mercy.

“Still, seasonality creates windows. Ecuador can be uncompetitive, as during recent outbreaks (WSD drove a price spike), early in the year (February–March) and sometimes in August–September.” His recommendation is to focus on the cost curve and take advantage when these windows open.

Henrik’s 30-second postscript was, “Ecuador’s high labour cost leaves room for Asian processors in advanced value-added items. Competing head-on in whole and frozen is tough. In more complex consumer products, Asia’s lower labour costs can shine.”

This article was first published in Aqua Culture Asia Pacific January/February  page 22-25 

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At YHL Desaru, entrepreneurship focuses on using biotechnology and innovations to build a sustainable shrimp farming business.

Among the more established and traditional shrimp farms in Malaysia, seven-year-old YHL Aquatic Sdn Bhd in Desaru, Johor stands above the rest. Covering a land area of 269.3 acres (107.7ha), YHL is now one of the largest shrimp farms in Johor state. Since 2023,it started hatchery operations in Mersing, producing post larvae using broodstock from the NBC (nucleus breeding centre), at YHLF Biotech (Thailand) in Phang-Nga, a subsidiary. YHL also operates Malaysia’s first BMC (broodstock multiplication centre) to reduce reliance on imports and to strengthen Malaysia’s shrimp aquaculture industry.

In 2025, the company received the “Asia Aquaculture Excellence Award – Excellence in Marine Shrimp Seedlings”, presented by the Malaysia Aquaculture Development Association (MADA), during its 25thAnniversary Celebration Dinner.

This prestigious award recognises YHL’s outstanding achievements in shrimp post larvae production and further validates the company’s commitment to IMTA (Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture) practices for sustainable shrimp farming.

An earlier achievement is the JCI (Junior Chamber International) Malaysia Sustainable Development Award SDG 14: Life Below Water” in 2023 which reaffirmed the company’s leadership and innovation in sustainable aquaculture development.

From oysters to vannamei shrimp

YHL’s Founder and Managing Director, Low Yuan Heng entered shrimp farming by chance. Low, a graduate in food science from Universiti Putra Malaysia, already had an established food additive business when he was encouraged to start oyster farming back in 2010.

“We have Crassostrea iredalei and C. belcheri. I saw an aquaculture opportunity as there is no specific breeding season and spats are available all year round in our coastal waters,” said Low.

“However, in order for the oysters to reach market readiness, an eight-month culture period was required, with anticipated cash flow projected only after three years. Therefore, I considered integrating another aquaculture species and explored shrimp farming as a complementary venture alongside the oyster.”

The Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corporation(Bioeconomy Corporation), operating under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), has granted BioNexus status and recognition as a Bio-based Accelerator (BBA) company to YHL’s Tropical Oyster subsidiary and YHL Aquatics, respectively. It has continuously supported YHL in their transition and growth. 

“As we grow larger, we believe that it is important to have stability in production, rather than seek to increase volumes with higher stocking density,” says Low Yuan Heng

Ponds are aerated. Lastly, we have oysters, bivalves and aquatic plants to filter out organic particles. Water is used for the culture of copepods, which are the live feed for the fish hatchery.”

This is the IMTA project. “This idea of this IMTA is to solve aquaculture’s pollution issue, reduce nutrient pollution, eutrophication and recycling waste into usable biomass. This is a first in Malaysia. We use nine acres (3.64ha) dedicated to IMTA which is still not fully complete,” said Low

Construction of shrimp ponds began in 2017, along side the existing oyster hatchery facility. The seawater intake is6m deep and 800m out at sea, which YHL acquired when it bought over the land previously set up for a fish hatchery.

In the first phase of 10 acres (4ha), pond sizes were 0.1ha;in the second and third phases, pond sizes increased to0.25ha, and in phase 4, currently ongoing, ponds are0.4ha with 1.5-1.8m depths. Today, YHL’s farm in Desaruhas a total of 67 grow-out ponds with central outlets. Itwas necessary to line ponds and dykes with 1mm highdensity polyethylene (HDPE) as the area has sandy soil.

Each phase uses its own filtration system and reservoir.In phase one, stocking density is 200 PL/m2butdecreases to 150 PL/m2for ponds in the latter phases.Low clarified, “As we grow, we believe that it is importantto have stability in production, rather than seek toincrease volumes with higher stocking density.”

“We farm vannamei shrimp, producing 945 tonnes in2024 with a target of 1,500 tonnes for 2025. Each cycleincludes five partial harvests to ensure a daily supply of4-5 tonnes for Kuala Lumpur, Johor Baru and Singapore.Buyers appreciate the reliable daily shipments. In October,farmgate prices were MYR19.50/kg (USD 4.71) for size70/kg and MYR29.50/kg (USD 7.13) for size 30/kg. Thelowest price for size 70/kg in 2025 was MYR15/kg.

“Buyers seek shrimp of size 90-30/kg. Size 25/kg is thelargest size that they will take. I am proud of the colour ofour shrimp, rated 24 on the chart when cooked, reflectingour genetics. Our cost of production is around MYR19.50(USD4.71) and average selling price is MYR24.50(USD5.92).”

Low started his shrimp farming business on 10 acres(4ha) of land. Today, while sentimental towards his original oyster venture – selling oysters at MYR2 each in2012- he has steadily expanded shrimp farming in phases, making structural and operational improvements, after visiting several farms in Vietnam, Thailand and China.

The main driver: Sustainable aquaculture

Prior to starting his venture, Low researched sustainable farming policies, referring to the work by Dr Sarah J.Foster, a marine conservation scientist who provided science-based guidelines for sustainable farming.

“Fortunately, this area was previously used for silicas and production, which means I do not need to address concerns on mangrove destruction for shrimp farming. ”The Johor state government has designated the area covering 9,000 acres (3,642ha) as “Bio Desaru – The Organic Food Valley” as a major hub for organic farming, bio-agriculture, aquaculture, and eco-tourism.

Low applies his tagline, “Saving the oceans starts with me” when designing the infrastructure and developing operations for high density shrimp farming. All wastewater is channelled into sludge ponds and overflows into six sedimentation ponds continuously. “We stock milkfish and tilapia to clean up the water and add probiotics.

“As we grow larger, we believe that it is important to have stability in production, rather than seek to increase volumes with higher stocking density,” says Low Yuan Heng.

Ponds are aerated. Lastly, we have oysters, bivalves and aquatic plants to filter out organic particles. Water is used for the culture of copepods, which are the live feed for the fish hatchery.” This is the IMTA project.

“This idea of this IMTA is to solve aquaculture’s pollution issue, reduce nutrient pollution, eutrophication and recycling waste into usable biomass. This is a first in Malaysia. We use nine acres (3.64ha) dedicated to IMTA which is still not fully complete,” said Low.

Expansion and innovation
Construction of shrimp ponds began in 2017, alongside the existing oyster hatchery facility. The seawater intake is 6m deep and 800m out at sea, which YHL acquired when it bought over the land previously set up for a fish hatchery.

In the first phase of 10 acres (4ha), pond sizes were 0.1ha; in the second and third phases, pond sizes increased to 0.25ha, and in phase 4, currently ongoing, ponds are 0.4ha with 1.5-1.8m depths. Today, YHL’s farm in Desaru has a total of 67 grow-out ponds with central outlets. It was necessary to line ponds and dykes with 1mm high density polyethylene (HDPE) as the area has sandy soil.

Each phase uses its own filtration system and reservoir. In phase one, stocking density is 200 PL/m2 but decreases to 150 PL/m2 for ponds in the latter phases. Low clarified, “As we grow, we believe that it is important to have stability in production, rather than seek to increase volumes with higher stocking density.”

“We farm vannamei shrimp, producing 945 tonnes in 2024 with a target of 1,500 tonnes for 2025. Each cycle includes five partial harvests to ensure a daily supply of 4-5 tonnes for Kuala Lumpur, Johor Baru and Singapore. Buyers appreciate the reliable daily shipments. In October, farmgate prices were MYR19.50/kg (USD 4.71) for size 70/kg and MYR29.50/kg (USD 7.13) for size 30/kg. The lowest price for size 70/kg in 2025 was MYR15/kg.

“Buyers seek shrimp of size 90-30/kg. Size 25/kg is the largest size that they will take. I am proud of the colour of our shrimp, rated 24 on the chart when cooked, reflecting our genetics. Our cost of production is around MYR19.50 (USD4.71) and average selling price is MYR24.50 (USD5.92).”

Innovating with a nursery phase
“In 2020, after completion of the second phase, we faced a serious Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) outbreak. We were lucky as we already included a nursery stage in our farming protocol. It was a 1:1 model, one nursery pond of 150m3 to a grow-out pond of 0.1ha. We stocked 1,000 PL/m2 in the nursery pond. At such a high density, I could already catch an EHP infection at 1g at the nursery stage. If I were to stock directly into grow-out ponds, the signs of an outbreak can only be seen after 40 days.”

Low added, “It was at this time that I looked around for alternative genetics. In Phang-Nga, researchers at Thailand’s National Centre Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) were already using molecular genetics in shrimp to manipulate shrimp traits for aquaculture. Together we founded the subsidiary YHLF Biotech (Thailand) and established a NBC.”

The farming cycle starts with PL10 from his own hatchery in Mersing. The nursery cycle is over 21-28 days, and grow-out duration is 75-84 days. Low said that survival rates at harvest hover around 80%. “We are managing well because of our operational protocols. Our average daily growth is 0.4g-0.5g, which I attribute to the YHL-PHI TIK Litopenaeus vannamei post larvae from broodstock with rapid growth, robustness and disease tolerance to EHP developed at YHLF Biotech over 49 generations since 2018.”

Low explained, “Juveniles are transferred to grow-out ponds using pipes and tanks, with the entire process taking about four hours. We experience only about 1-2% loss during transfer. Our nursery ponds are distributed throughout the pond area. To minimise stress before transfers and later before harvesting, we include feed supplements such as extra minerals and astaxanthin.”

Among several other innovations that YHL has been testing out is the combination of pineapple extracts and Bacillus probiotics to mitigate white faeces syndrome (WFS). An idea from observations on shrimp farming in China is the in – house production of PSB (photosynthetic bacteria) and EM (effective microorganism) probiotics for improving soil/water quality and enhancing aquatic health by reducing toxins and pathogens. YHL has an innovative way to maintain aeration at 5ppm with air diffusers and paddlewheels.

The farm has 60 staff to operate ponds comprising of the usual hierarchy in pond management, where the farm manager oversees pond supervisors. “We recruit our technicians from Sabah and Sarawak, namely graduates from Polytechnic Sandakan in Sabah. We use auto feeders but, I noticed that feed conversion ratio (FCR) can range from 1.2 to 1.3 but can rise to 1.7-1.8 depending on the technician.”

This article was first published in Aqua Culture Asia Pacific January/February  page 16/17 

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 In India, running mortality syndrome (RMS) has recently intensified, leading to ongoing losses and frequent crop failures. Farmers often cannot sustain crops beyond 70–75 days. RMS is typically associated with white muscle and pinkish discolouration. Along with white faeces disease (WFD) and the age-old WSSV, these conditions contribute to chronic production losses.

In August, the Prawn Farmers Federation of India (PFFI) launched the pilot phase of a historic farmer-led targeted disease investigation program at Velankanni in Tamil Nadu. This initiative brings together farmers, scientists from the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR–CIBA) and the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for  Aquaculture (RGCA–MPEDA), industry supporters, and international experts from the University of Arizona, including Professor Arun K. Dhar and his team.

The program aimed to tackle the persistent disease related mortalities and crop failures that continue to threaten Indian shrimp farming.

Balasubramaniam V, General Secretary of the Prawn Farmers Federation of India (PFFI), said,

“We desperately needed to understand the disease and to figure a way out of this terrible situation. For the first time, farmers and scientists are working hand in hand under a structured framework, using each other’s strengths. PFFI will be the coordinator for field visits, farmer data and sample collection, while the researchers focus on the disease investigation in the laboratories. I am privileged to initiate and coordinate this effort, with overwhelming support from the industry and farming communities across the country.”

Technical and marketing teams from feed and input suppliers are coordinating with farmers and project field coordinators to regularly visit farms and collect data and samples, especially during disease outbreaks. Activities follow a structured and coordinated program.

The inaugural session brought together more than 150 farmers, industry stakeholders from across the country, and key government bodies. For the first time, eight national organisations are working under one umbrella. These are: 
• PFFI – Prawn Farmers Federation of India – Lead farmer
organisation driving the program.
• ICAR–CIBA – Central Institute of Brackishwater
Aquaculture – National aquaculture research institution
& key investigator.
• MPEDA–RGCA – Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture
– National aquaculture research & demonstration
centre under MPEDA; key investigator.
• NFDB – National Fisheries Development Board (funding
agency).
• CAA – Coastal Aquaculture Authority (regulatory
agency).
• AISHA – All India Shrimp Hatchery Association.
• SAP – Society of Aquaculture Professionals.
• SEAI – Seafood Exporters Association of India.

The pilot phase focuses on two commonly reported but insufficiently studied conditions: rapid mortalities associated with white muscle, and chronic production challenges linked to white faeces. Over the next two years, the study will combine: a case–control epidemiological survey to identify risk factors, continuous farm-level monitoring and field investigations, and laboratory-based challenge trials to assess suspected causative agents and triggering conditions. 

Update: Program now moves into the next phase during the upcoming crop cycle

In February, Balasubramaniam V, updated on activities. 
“Over the past few months, a considerable amount of work has been taking place quietly in the field and at the laboratories, and we felt it was the right time to share the latest developments with all of you who have been supporting this initiative.”

Since the recruitment of our first research associate, Mary Divya, the laboratory work  at ICAR–CIBA has been progressing steadily. Live samples collected from farms in Nagapattinam and sent by our field technical team have been undergoing continuous screening and analysis.

Last week, a joint scientific review meeting was held at the RGCA headquarters in Sirkazhi, bringing together investigators from ICAR–CIBA, RGCA and PFFI. The meeting was attended by Dr. Kuldeep Lal, Director of CIBA, and Dr. Anup Mandal, Project Director of RGCA, along with the investigation team.

The preliminary investigations by both CIBA and RGCA indicate the possible involvement of a pathogen in the disease situation being investigated. Further validation work will continue before firm conclusions are drawn.

The program now moves into the next phase during the upcoming crop cycle, where selected farms will be closely monitored through the crop, additional field sampling will continue, and case–control studies will be carried out to better understand the factors associated with the disease occurrence.

“We remain deeply grateful to all our corporate supporters, Scientific committee members and well-wishers who have stood with farmers and scientists in making this farmer-led investigation possible.”

Science without borders. Solutions for farmers.
Led and coordinated by the Prawn Farmers Federation of India (PFFI).

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