2007 Volume 47 Issue 2-3 Pages 61-74
In Thailand and Malaysia, production of sea bass, snapper, and grouper by fishcage culture is traditionally greater than production by fishpond culture. In Thailand, fishcage culture has been developing with the introduction of sea bass culture using hatchery fry since the 1980s. In Malaysia, fishcage culture developed with the introduction of Thai sea bass culture technology, and production of cultured fish increased due to the use of hatchery fry of snapper and grouper. In the Philippines, fishpond culture was dominant in milkfish and grouper production, but fishcage culture was introduced in the 1990s.
The price of grouper remained at a mid-level after 1998 in Thailand, but increased after 2000 in Malaysia. This is because in Thailand, mainly local medium-class wild grouper fry are cultured, while Malaysia cultures imported high-class hatchery grouper fry.
As for the average ratio of production of the three species, that of sea bass decreased by half, snapper remained approximately the same, and grouper doubled. In terms of average profit, sea bass culture and grouper culture decreased, and snapper culture remained almost the same. Snapper is the most profitable of the three species in Malaysia.
Fishcages allow a higher production yield than fishponds and do not need such a high capital investment as for constructing ponds. In addition, they allow operators to culture grouper of high commercial value at high rates of productivity. Fishcage culture is clearly more profitable than fishpond culture.
