The USSEC aquaculture program in Southeast Asia is focusing on marine fish hatcheries as a key area for development in FY13.  An adequate supply of high quality marine fish fingerlings is key to the uptake of better, soy-optimized formulated feeds and will help in transitioning farmers from using traditional methods of feeding fresh seafood.

Critical to hatchery improvement is the need for better feeds to be developed for the hatchery broodstock.  Marine fish broodstock generally take 2-7 years to develop, so eliminating a possible disease vector and developing a feed that will help brooder mature more quickly and optimize their spawning condition is important.  This process will begin in Thailand, where a target hatchery where operator is willing to try new feeds for its broodstock was identified.  This target feed mill also has the ability to make custom feeds.
USSEC feed specialist Mark Newman visited the feed mill to provide technical support and to prepare to formulate broodstock diets.  The goal is to have the diets implemented in the target hatchery in March.