Culture of Milkfish (Chanos chanos) as a Means of Increasing Animal Protein Supply

Among the marine fishes, the milkfish (Chanos chanos) is most successfully cultured in ponds. The total area of milkfish ponds in the three main milkfish producing countries (Indonesia, Philippines, and Taiwan) is about 320,000 ha. Yield of about 2000 kg/ha per yr is being achieved in Taiwan, the yield in Indonesia (340 kg/ha per yr) and Philippines (560 kg/ha per yr) being considerably lower.If the pond management method of Taiwan is adopted, the present 320,000 ha of milkfish ponds of the above mentioned three countries could produce at least 640,000 metric tons of milkfish per year. Production could be further increased by increasing the fish pond acreage. (Philippines has some 400,000 ha of undeveloped mangrove covered swampland that could be developed into fish ponds).Increase of milkfish production by expansion of the cultural areas faces the following problems: 1) limitation of the natural supply of seed fish; 2) market demand; and 3) effects of milkfish farming on local ecology.Little research on milkfish has been done. It is proposed that future research should emphasize: 1) research on artificial propagation of milkfish to supply seed for milkfish farming; 2) research on the nutritional requirements and feeding habits of milkfish; 3) research on modification of present cultural practice to permit polyculture in milkfish ponds; and 4) research on processing milkfish into products of universal acceptance.