Tilapia to expand to brackish water and estuarine sites in the Philippines

The University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV), with support from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic andNatural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD), has developed a UPV Saline tolerant Population of improved Nilotica (SPIN) tilapia strain.

The strain was designed to thrive in brackish water and estuarine environments to prevent mass mortalities due to saltwater intrusions, caused by the rising seawater levels in tilapia-producing areas.

Tilapia is the second largest aquaculture-produced fish species in the Philippines with a total production of 281,114 metric tons valued at PHP 24.26 billion (USD 432 million) in 2021. However, the industry is currently exhibiting minimal or slow growth due to the saturated production systems in lakes and cages. To expand production, tilapia farming is expected to expand to estuarine and brackish coastal areas.

Aside from the UPV SPIN, two other saline-tolerant tilapia strains were also developed in the Philippines: the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Brackishwater Enhanced Selected Tilapia (BFAR-BEST), and the BFAR-Molobicus strain.

“UPV tested the growth and production performance of these Philippine-developed saline-tolerant tilapia strains in saline and brackishwater ecosystems. Results showed that UPV SPIN and BFAR BEST exhibited faster growth and high survival rates in brackish water, high-saline pond systems as well as in brackish water estuarine earthen ponds. These strains attained the harvestable size of 250 grams in about 100 days. On the other hand, UPV SPIN showed the best growth performance in estuarine cage culture sites compared to two other tilapia strains, researchers said.

Cre: Hatchery Feed Management

• Shrimp Industry: Rising costs and falling prices erode competitiveness

• China leads the global lobster market, Vietnam emerges as a key supplier

• FAO: Fraud may account for up to 20% of global seafood trade

• Feed prices rise, raw shrimp prices fall – pressure builds across the entire value chain

• Vietnam International Fisheries Science and Technology Exhibition – VinaFIS Expo 2026 | Vietnam’s Fisheries Reaching the World

• Argentina expands squid fishing grounds, output increases

• The sturgeon farm owner broke down in tears as 30 tons of fish suffocated and died, causing losses worth billions of VND

• Aqua Mina officially participates in VinaFIS Expo 2026.

• Aqua Mina HDPE Circular Floats – The Optimal Solution for Shrimp Pond Paddle Wheel Aerators

• Aqua Mina HDPE Blue Circular Floats: A One-Time Investment for a 20-Year Vision

• Proactively Combating Heat, Nghe An Farmers Move Shrimp into Enclosed Net-House Systems

• AQUA MINA HDPE BLUE ROUND FLOAT: NO PRICE INCREASE – STANDING WITH FARMERS THROUGH CHALLENGES