Country-wide supply of Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) strain fingerlings in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has been one of the hurdles for aquaculture expansion. When properly managed, GIFT grows quickly with good survival under pond conditions, dramatically increasing aquaculture yields. It is a hardy strain and can survive in harsh conditions with high resistance to disease. For PNG, the most important trait is the strain’s ability to grow fast. Nevertheless, production yields remain low in PNG due to low quality fingerling supply, mixed sex fingerling stocking, and poor feeding practices.
Ever since its introduction to PNG, GIFT fingerling production has depended on the traditional method of production whereby, tilapia broodfish are reared in ponds with or without supplementary feed, and the fry are collected from the pond edges. Fry productivity is typically low due to incomplete harvesting, cannibalism by older fish, and reduced spawning frequency. Mixed sex fingerlings also present a challenge to farmers because of uncontrolled breeding leading to overcrowded ponds.
Over the past decade, intensive research effort has developed a hatchery technique using hapa-in-pond systems (AASP, 1996; Little et al., 1995, 1997). Fry seed is collected from females’ mouths at five- and seven-day intervals for artificial incubation. The technology has recently been commercialized and proven to be economically viable (Little et al., 1997; Bhujel, 1997). As a result of its ability to produce high-quality fry predictably, this technology is now being widely adopted (Bhujel et al., 1998). NFA has adapted this technology to establish twenty-two satellite hatcheries in eighteen provinces across the country. Importantly, monosex fingerling production methods have been included to prevent in-pond breeding, thus improving fish feeding efficiency and reducing the cost of farming. This has resulted in an increase in fish farming activities as farmers can access quality fingerlings that are readily available, and reports of improved yields has attracted new farmers.