Threat looms over tilapia industry
Date: Monday, June 12, 2017
By ACE JUNE RELL S. PEREZ

DAVAO. Tilapia, one of the world's primary fish for human consumption. (Contributed
photo)
 
THERE is an imminent threat on Tilapia industry following the warning released last May 26
by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that there is an outbreak of
Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV), a highly-contagious disease among farmed and wild tilapia. The
TiLV has been confirmed in five countries already: Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Israel, and
Thailand, the FAO reported in its website. “Tilapia producing countries need to be vigilant,
and should follow aquatic animal-health code protocols of the World Organization for
Animal Health (OIE) when trading tilapia,” the FAO warned. With this, the Bureau of
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said they are on heightened alert but assured that,
fortunately, no report for the case of TiLV in the Philippines. “The Philippines is strict in the
implementation of imported live fish. The mentioned countries who suffered this virus
infection are intensive culturist. So far, our stocking rate is based on the best aquaculture
practice,” BFAR-Davao Director Fatma said. She added that if there is an alarming situation
on death of tilapia, BFAR has the capacity to investigate and will automatically conduct
regular monitoring. At present, TiLV surveillance is now being conducted in China, India, and
Indonesia, and is also being planned in the Philippines, FAO said. The FAO also encouraged
countries to launch public information campaigns as many aquaculturists of tilapia are
smallholders. The FAO itself admitted that not much is known about TiLV, acknowledging
many knowledge gaps about the disease that need more research. The TiLV belongs to the
Orthomyxoviridae family of viruses, which is also the same family to which the Infectious
Salmon Anaemia virus belongs, which wrought great damage on the salmon farming
industry, FAO added. Although the does not pose a risk to humans, it can decimate stocks
and cripple fish farmers. “The disease shows highly variable mortality, with outbreaks in
Thailand triggering the deaths of up to 90 percent of stocks. Infected fish often show loss of
appetite, slow movements, dermal lesions and ulcers, ocular abnormalities, and opacity of
lens,” the FAO reported. Tilapia is one of the world's most important fish for human
consumption and is a mainstay of global food security and nutrition. BFAR-Davao data
revealed that total production of Tilapia in Davao Region declined to 2,228.31 metric tons
(MT), a bit decrease noted as compared to 2015’s production at 2, 588.68 MT. In 2016, bulk
of the region’s production is contributed by Davao del Sur with 1,567.02 MT, followed by
Davao del Norte (294.87), Compostela Valley(247.86), Davao City(108.77) and Davao
Oriental(9.79).

Read more: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/business/2017/06/12/threat-looms-overtilapia-industry-546970

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