Production and health constraints to sustainable Nile tilapia production by small-holders, using net cages at the Três Marias reservoir, Brazil
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1
University of Brasilia, FAV, Brazil
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2
University of Prince Edward Island; Atlantic Veterinary College, Canada
Brazil has a huge potential for aquaculture but it is the 17th largest producer according to aquaculture rankings, indicating an underutilization of its resources. The most efficient strategy to ensure a high annual growth rate is the adoption of more competitive and sustainable production systems, such as fish farming in net cages installed within the key reservoirs of the country, and following public policies that regulate the assignment of water from the Union to aquaculture production. The present study aimed to characterize tilapia production patterns in net cages at the Três Marias reservoir, focusing on the production and sanitary aspects. The data were collected through an interview, using a structured questionnaire, during May 2015. The study involved all the 32 fish farmers, who use net cages, in the municipality of Morada Nova de Minas, the most important site for fish production at the Três Marias reservoir. Aquaculture was the sole income-generating activity for only 17% of the farmers in this municipality. Less than half of the farmers had a workforce that comprised their family members only. Irrespective of the type of workforce, having up to three members of staff for the management of animals was the predominant trend (81.3%), and only two farms received regular technical assistance. Tilapia was the only species commercially produced in the municipality of Morada Nova de Minas, and was sold to local slaughterhouses, most of which did not undergo official sanitary inspections (67%). Sanitation practices were adopted by a majority of the farmers, who cleaned their cages and tools, did not share equipment with other farms, and appropriately discarded dead or dying animals in ditches (76%). According to the farmers’ perception, the primary causes of fish mortality in the reservoir were water temperature and water level (72%), fingerling quality (31%), and improper feed management (24%). The concerns most frequently reported by the fish farmers were: difficulty in getting environmental licenses (59%), high cost of animal feed (34%), and low water levels in the reservoir (31%). A follow-up study will be implemented to describe the infection dynamics of main pathogens in this production ecosystem. In conclusion, this emerging production chain is mostly made of small fish farmers with low levels of production technology and limited support of health and extension services. The sustainable development of fish production in public waters needs to be in line with environmental concerns and will depend on identification of cost-effective solutions for the health and production bottlenecks.
Acknowledgements
This research work was funded by the Brazilian Federal Government Agency – CNPq - through the Program “Science Without Borders” (grant no. 481064/2012-5). The field work was carried out with the support of the local office of CODEVASF, especially Dr. José Jacobina Romaguera Neto and Dr. Antônio Jessey de Abreu Tessitore, whose collaboration was essential to carry out this project.
Keywords:
Aquaculture,
Net cages,
public reservoirs,
Nile tilapia,
sanitary and production practices,
Brazil
Conference:
AquaEpi I - 2016, Oslo, Norway, 20 Sep - 22 Sep, 2016.
Presentation Type:
Poster
Topic:
Aquatic Animal Epidemiology
Citation:
Roriz
GD,
Delphino
MC,
Gardner
I and
Gonçalves
VP
(2016). Production and health constraints to sustainable Nile tilapia production by small-holders, using net cages at the Três Marias reservoir, Brazil
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Front. Vet. Sci.
Conference Abstract:
AquaEpi I - 2016.
doi: 10.3389/conf.FVETS.2016.02.00024
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Received:
20 May 2016;
Published Online:
14 Sep 2016.
*
Correspondence:
Prof. Vitor Salvador P Gonçalves, University of Brasilia, FAV, Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil, vitorspg@unb.br