Giant freshwater prawns or the Macrobrachium rosenbergii found in Ilian River, Palawan serve as an indicator of good water quality.
To conserve and preserve the quality of the river and sustain its capability to shelter the giant freshwater prawn, Municipal Ordinance 2023-1010 was passed by the local government unit (LGU) of Dumaran, Palawan. The ordinance promotes sustainable Macrobrachium aquaculture in said municipality.
The passing of the said ordinance was made possible through the project, “GeM-PHIL: Genetic Characterization of Macrobrachium populations in the Philippines for broodstock development and seed production,” funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD). The said project primarily aimed to map the genetic resources of Macrobrachium rosenbergii in the Philippines.
During the project’s terminal review, project leader Arlene Avillanosa highlighted how there is a low production of the species in the country even though it is being regarded as a high-value species and one of the best options for commercial aquaculture. She also added that this can be attributed to limited supply of broodstocks that can be used in hatchery production and consequently, feedstocks for stocking in ponds and cages for aquaculture.
M. rosenbergii hatchery developed in Western Philippines University (Photo credits to: GeM-PHIL Project Team)
Through the project, a hatchery was established in Palawan. All information gathered by the project is expected to be vital in the improvement of hatcheries of the Macrobrachium aquaculture in the country.
Throughout the duration of the project, they have demonstrated that mass seed production and larval rearing of the species using Palawan broodstock is possible and can support the development of a sustainable aquaculture of giant freshwater prawn, locally known as ‘ulang.’
Moving forward, the project seeks to continue introducing the hatchery and grow-out culture of giant freshwater prawn to LGUs, private investors, and entrepreneurs, that in turn will provide livelihood opportunities to farmers and fisherfolk.
This will be beneficial for the development of the giant freshwater prawn aquaculture in the country, also providing a basis for the development of more effective hatchery practices and sustainable stock enhancement programs.