Breeding for salinity tolerant tilapia

Samenvatting (Engelstalig)

Tilapia is considered as the best alternative
for shrimp farming in Indonesia. Shrimp, like palm oil, is one of Indonesia's
most important export products. However, shrimp cultivation is associated with
large-scale disease outbreaks. For these reasons, many farmers want to switch
to a more small-scale, sustainable combination of tilapia and shrimp. In order
to breed this fish in brackish water shrimp ponds, I started a tilapia breeding
program in 2011. With the support of the Koepon Foundation, I started my PhD
research project in 2018. The purpose of the project was to develop a
professional breeding program for salinity tolerant tilapia. In total, 6
generations were selected for improved growth in brackish water, both in the
presence and absence of shrimp, resulting in a substantial genetic gain for
harvest weight. In this way, the project contributes to a more sustainable
aquaculture for small scale shrimp-tilapia farms in Indonesia.