Report of the Aquaculture Programme

1. Report of the Aquaculture Programme Robert Jimmy Aquaculture Adviser

2. 2012 Activities- Result 2.1: Improved regional and national capacity for strategic policy, planning and administration • Technical assistance on Aquaculture Development Plan & review: Cook Is & Samoa completed; Nauru & Vanuatu Plans in final stages of completion. • Produced policy briefs on opportunities in mariculture development. • Development of a framework of collaboration in aquaculture for Melanesian Spearhead Group Members (MSG). • Aquaculture legislative support to Fiji and Vanuatu. • Participate in regional and subregional aquaculture conferences and workshops: FAO-COFI [Rome], FAO Sub-committee on Aquaculture (Cook Is), NACA, Australasian Aquaculture Conference & MSG

3. 2012 Activities- Result 2.2: Increased skills and knowledge base in the SPC region and its member countries and territories, so as to maximize the return on investments in aquaculture through innovative, profitable and sustainable approaches • Worldfish/ACIAR milkfish culture project in Solomon Islands. • Technical assistance establishment of mariculture hatchery facilities in 3 countries (e.g. New Caledonia, Samoa & PNG. • Provide technical assistance, hatchery and ponds trials of the Eastern strain of Macrobrachium rosenbergii native to PNG under ACIAR. • Provide technical assistance to aquaponics Public-Private Partnership in Cook Islands (on-going) • Provide technical assistance, expert consultation and development assistance to identified projects under Increasing Agricuture Commodity Trade (IACT) project.....PICT enterprises identified for assistance in 2013 from expressions of interest

4. 2012 Activities- Continue- Result 2.2: Increased skills and knowledge base in the SPC region… • Organised subregional hands-on seaweed in Lombok Indonesia for 4 countries (Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands & FSM). • Provided joint SPC/JICA subregional training on milkfish farming at Vitawa Village, Ra Province, FIJI for 10 countries (Cook Is, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Palau, Nauru, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu). • Prototype Aquaponics Unit at SPC Suva, constructed (DONE) and in operation • Provided country specific training attachments to 4 countries (Guam on grouper training in Thailand, French Polynesia on shrimp disease diagnosis in US, Samoa and Solomon Is on freshwater aquaculture in China) • Provide technical assistance to New Caledonia on scallop and lobster projects

5. 2012 Activities- Result 2.3: Competent authorities established and/or supported, to manage aquatic biosecurity risks and to facilitate trade. • Regional • SPC/OIE disease reporting workshop in Nadi • Organized SPC/FAO regional workshop on aquatic biosecurity and aquaculture statistics • Sub-regional • Provide support for development of a sub-regional biosecurity framework for Micronesia. • Country Specific • Risk analysis for sandfish introduction for Kiribati. • Risk analysis for cobia introduction for PNG. • Risk analysis for seaweed introduction for Fiji. • Risk analysis for introduction of Nile Tilapia to Solomon islands • Specific training on diagnosis and management of health problems of sandfish for Kiribati & Fiji

6. 2013 Programme Activities

7. Result Area 2.1: Improved regional and national capacity for strategic policy, planning and administration • New/updated National Aquaculture Plan completed for 3 countries • Undertake aquaculture programme needs assessment in 4 PICTs • Aquaculture portal up to date with all materials • Improve several strategies for policy, planning and administration of aquaculture in the region • Complete national aquaculture legislation in 2 PICTs • Policy briefs completed on outcome of regional aquaculture assessments studies

8. Result 2.2: Increased skills and knowledge base in the SPC region and its member countries and territories… • Undertake trochus reseeding in two PICTs • Investigate feasibility of Mud Crab (new production area) and export (import substitution) potential in one PICT • Undertake feasibility of aquaponics in 2 PICTs. • Demonstration site of aquaculture farmer networks/clusters established in 3 PICTs. • Assistance provided to 2 new IACT Enterprises • Continuation of fish feeds development work in 4 countries via on-farm trials of feed formulations that use local ingredients • Aquaculture feasibility report and workshop, based upon hatchery and pond trials of the prawn Macrobrachium spinipes indigenous to PNG

9. Result 2.2: Increased skills and knowledge base in the SPC region and its member countries and territories… • Undertake nursery and pen culture trial of sandfish in Kiribati • Improved seaweed culture and production in 3 countries • Mariculture hatchery facilities established in 4 countries • Training attachment completed on mariculture for 2 PICTs • Technical factsheets produced on mariculture aquaculture commodities for New Caledonia • Sub-regional training workshops conducted for 5 PICTs on fish broodstock management and fish-feeds formulation. • Experts Consultation workshop to review current status, future potential, and researchable constraints of aquaponics in PICTs

10. Result 2.3: Competent authorities established and/or supported, to manage aquatic biosecurity risks and to facilitate trade. • National aquatic biosecurity policy & legislation completed for 3 PICTs • Finalise SPC regional aquatic biosecurity framework • Advice provided on introductions and quarantine requirements on aquaculture. • A Micronesia sub-regional biosecurity framework developed • Provide training attachment to 1 PICT on aquatic biosecurity • Facilitate and assist PICTs to make Country Reports for the FAO State of the World’s Aquatic Genetic Resources review.

11. THANK YOU