This has been made possible through the seed production technique refined by the government-hosted Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC AQD) based in Tigbauan, Iloilo.
Owing to the refinement of the seed production techniques, SEAFDEC AQD doubled the production of abalone juveniles last year, according to Dr. Wenrestri Gallardo, head of the department’s mollusk seed production unit and program leader for stock enhancement.
Abalone is one of the most valuable marine mollusks. It is sold fresh, frozen, canned or dried.
Abalones are expensive and extremely popular in Chinese restaurants. The foot of the larger varieties can provide several sliced steaks.
The shells are used for jewelry, buttons and ornaments. Abalone is also used as traditional Chinese medicine.
Because of the marine species’ importance, research on how to improve its production has been going on for years.
In 1994, success in the natural spawning of abalone in tanks and the completion of its life cycle in captivity paved the way for the development of the seed production techniques by SEAFDEC AQD.
It also brought about the establishment of a stock enhancement program for mollusks. The program is one of five organized by SEAFDEC AQD last year to address and prioritize urgent aquaculture issues that are important to Southeast Asia.
The stock enchancement program aims to propagate resource organisms or modify natural habitat and environmental condition for the depleted stocks to recover and increase production for natural grounds.