Research & Development

  • Tilapia

    harvest-of-tilapia-from_sIn the late 1990s the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis nilotica) was introduced with assistance of the FAO South Pacific Aquaculture Development Programme.

    It was intended that the Nile tilapia would rehabilitate milkfish ponds that were infested by the mossambicus tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) and would also be a source of food fish.

    Tilapia (Oreochromis nilotica) are grown in 4 metre fibreglass water tanks by the government fisheries authority and distributed freely to the public for farming. This has not been a successful project to date and there is no longer available fish for distribution.

    The current project that was undertaken in Nauru in the eradication of mossambicus tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) funded by ACIAR through the assistance of SPC proved successful and that it is a possibility however the high costs in using the machinery for pond preparation, equipment and regular feed for the fish may not be possible for all farmers to undertake this method of eradication.

    Under the FAO Technical Project, there is a technician in Nauru that assists with a small group of individual owners in the conditioning and maintenance of their ponds for milkfish and tilapia production due to constraints of the FAO project this is not a fully functional project as funds are difficult to access. Therefore activities with FAO Technical Officer with the Fisheries officers assist with the current SPC/ACIAR Nile tilapia project and have assisted in the promotion of tilapia in the Agri-Fair Week held by the Commerce, Industry & Resources Department (CIR).

    The promotion of the Nile tilapia during the Agri-Fair week was popular and successful, so Nile tilapia is a potential food resource taken into consideration of the constraints of the ACIAR project.

    Introduction of barramundi (Lates calcarifer) as a biological control to eradicate Oreochromis mossambicus tilapia is a popular concept that has been raised and requested by the non-government organizations (NGOs) and considered but due to financial constraints has not been possible.