Quality grouper fry producers drive forward industrial upgrade.

The Fisheries Agency (FA) held the “2012 Quality Grouper Fry Production Plant” commendation ceremony on November 15th. Mr. Hu Hsing-Hua, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, congratulated the award winners and stated that the grouper industry in Taiwan is a complete system that incorporates job division and an industrial value chain; therefore, the government has listed it as one of the key development industries in the Quality Agriculture Program and continues to invest in relevant development. However, the fries have a low survival rate due to virus infection. To drive forward industrial upgrade, the Council of Agriculture organized a quality fry producer nomination campaign. Eight benchmark producers with safe breeding strategies were selected as models in the industry.

Experts and scholars recommend safe breeding strategies.

The Fisheries Agency (FA) indicated that a panel of representatives from the industry, public sector, and academic sector spent four months surveying the entire breeding process, including documentation and on-site operations, from plant layout and facilities, fry management, disease prevention, wastewater and waste management, compliance with inoculation policies, and marketing/logistics. A total of 42 grouper fry plants and individuals were nominated and eight were selected for the award. The eight winners are Dongtain Aquaculture Co., Ltd., Lijia Green Energy Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Su Teng-Huang, Yen Ching-Shan, Yu Shun-Chang, Chu Kun-Chou, Wang-Chen Su-Chin, and Youfeng Farm. To commend the award winners, the FA will hold a commendation ceremony in the Grouper Festival, which is to be held on November 17th in Fangliao Township, Pingtung County. The award winners will also share their experiences in the event; their generous sharing will bring the industry forward in the process of industrial upgrade.

Honored guest Mr. Cheng An-Chang, a representative from National Kaohsiung Marine University involved in long-term research of the grouper industry, stated that the safe strategies of the award-winning plants in Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung, and Taitung will serve as models for the industry. Mr. Chen Chian-Han, the representative from Lijia Green Energy Biotechnology Co., Ltd. and a new force in the aquaculture industry, indicated that only an upgrade in the technologies will bring advancement in Taiwan’s aquaculture industry; this is part of a trend in achieving control and safe production through safe facilities and procedures.

Government policy leads the development of Taiwan’s grouper industry.

The FA further indicated that the Executive Yuan launched the “Quality Agriculture Development Program” in 2009, which listed grouper as a key development industry. Up till today the government has invested tremendously into improvement of the aquaculture environment and development of seawater supply systems, as well as providing consultation for the use of probiotics and feed formulae and inoculation of the Iridoviridae virus. The government has also opened direct sale to China for live fish. According to the customs statistics the total export volume (value) of grouper from January to October this year reached 13,000 tons (NT$4.02 billion), a growth of 74.6% compared to the same period last year (45.6%).

Production of healthy fries is the key technology in the development of the grouper industry.

The FA explained that, along with the thriving development of the global aquaculture industry, the production of fries in modern-day aquaculture is characterized by high unit price, technologically intensive, high added value, and low resource reliance. Production of quality fries is the key in the development of the industry. Therefore, the government will continue to push forward relevant development programs to help the industry stabilize the quality of fry production and safety of aquatic products and lead the industry to sustainable development in the harsh aquaculture environment of Taiwan.