Channel NewsAsia 11 Mar 15;
SINGAPORE: The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) is working with local fish farmers to put in place measures to build up their resiliency in coping with future plankton blooms and the effect it has on the fish stock, said Minister of State for National Development Maliki Osman on Wednesday (Mar 11).
For one, AVA will work with these farmers to develop operationally ready contingency plans to reduce their losses in future occurrences, and allow farmers to learn from others who have installed resilient systems.
"Farmers can tap on AVA’s Agriculture Productivity Fund to purchase relevant equipment to enhance their resilience. MND and AVA are exploring further assistance beyond these measures for affected farms to restart their operations," Dr Maliki said in Parliament during the Committee of Supply debates.
Through the Co-Innovation Partnership Programme, AVA has commissioned projects to develop closed containment systems, which can reduce the vulnerability of fish stock to water conditions, he added.
"The existing mode of farming in net cages in the sea exposes the fish to unnecessary risks. Fish farmers must consider modernising their farming methods so that they are better protected in the long term," Dr Maliki said.
As for better understanding the science behind the phenomenon of plankton bloom and fish kill, AVA is collaborating with agencies such as NEA, NParks and PUB, and experts from research institutes such as Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI), to study the relationship, he said.
The Minister of State also gave an update on the latest fish losses, noting that up to 600 tonnes of fish have been lost so far, most of which are farms near the East Johor Straits. That said, the plankton situation has improved, with reduced fish mortality, he added.
"Similar to last year, AVA will not impose the minimum production requirement on affected farms, nor take action against them for not meeting the minimum production requirement," said Dr Maliki.
"We are very reasonable people. We are not heartless. We understand the difficulties the farmers face during these times and will allow them sufficient time to get back onto their feet and we will continue to help them do so."
- CNA/kk
Mass fish deaths: AVA will help fish farmers build resilience, says Maliki
KELLY NG Today Online 11 Mar 15;
SINGAPORE—The Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) will be helping fish farmers to develop contingency plans to reduce future losses like those caused by the recent plankton bloom, such as by helping farmers develop “resilient systems”, said Minister of State (National Development) Mohamad Maliki Osman today (March 11) during the MND Committee of Supply debate.
In light of the recent plankton bloom that wiped out more than 600 tonnes of fish along the East and West Johor Straits, Dr Maliki told the House that AVA is working with agencies such as the National Environment Agency, NParks and PUB, and experts from research institutes, to better understand the relationship between plankton blooms and fish kills.
The authority has also commissioned projects to develop “close containment systems” that reduces the vulnerability of the fish stock to harmful water conditions.
Dr Maliki added that AVA will not impose the minimum production requirement on the affected farms, nor take action against them for not meeting the production requirement.
“We cannot prevent plankton blooms from recurring, but we can take steps to minimise their impact when they occur,” he added.
He added that AVA had advised fish farmers to harvest their fish early on Feb 16 and 17 as it detected elevated plankton levels, and farmers that heeded its advice before fish deaths peaked on Feb 27 adverted the worse.
Singapore Budget 2015: AVA taking steps to address fish deaths from plankton bloom
RACHEL AU-YONG Straits Times 11 Mar 15;
SINGAPORE - The plankton bloom responsible for the recent mass fish deaths cannot be prevented, but steps can be taken to minimise its impact when it occurs, Minister of State for National Development Maliki Osman said.
Elaborating on these in Parliament on Wednesday, Dr Maliki said the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) will help farmers to develop "operationally-ready contingency plans" to reduce their future losses.
He advised fish farmers to learn from counterparts who have installed resilient systems, and to tap on the agency's Agriculture Productivity Fund to purchase the relevant equipment.
Dr Maliki also said that like last year, the AVA will not impose the minimum production requirement - 17 tonnes of fish for every 0.5 ha of farm space - on affected farms. "We understand the difficulties the farmers face during these times and will allow them sufficient time to get back onto their feet," he said.
Over the last two weeks, more than 600 tonnes of fish have died - the fourth mass death in five years - with farms near the East Johor Straits the worst-hit.
Plankton blooms can be deadly as the plankton suck oxygen from the water, suffocating other marine life. They could be caused by unfavourable environmental factors, like neap tide, dry weather, and pollution.
Dr Maliki added that his ministry is looking at what can be done to reduce pollution.
The AVA is also working with agencies and research experts to study the relationship between plankton blooms and fish kill.
It has also commissioned projects to develop closed containment systems, which would reduce the volunerability of fish stock to water conditions.
Currently, many farmers rear fish in net cages in the open sea, exposing their stock to unnecessary risks, he said. Citing Singapore Aquaculture Technologies, a company which used such a system and saved two-thirds of their stock, Dr Maliki said: "Fish farmers must consider modernising their farming methods so that they are better protected in the long term."
Plankton blooms' link to fish deaths under study
Rachel Au-yong The Straits Times AsiaOne 12 Mar 15;
SINGAPORE - Researches from several organisations are working with the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) on the link between plankton blooms and fish deaths, to shed more light on the causes of the mass deaths at Singapore's fish farms.
The AVA will also help fish farmers put in place contingency measures to minimise the fallout from such incidents in the future, Minister of State for National Development Maliki Osman said.
It will also not impose the minimum production requirement of 17 tonnes of fish for every 0.5ha of farm space on affected farms, a concession it made last year after similar plankton bloom problems.
"We understand the difficulties the farmers face during these times and will allow them sufficient time to get back onto their feet," said Dr Maliki.
He was replying to Parliamentary Secretary Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (Nee Soon GRC), who wanted to know what the Government was doing to help the affected fish farms. So far, about 600 tonnes of fish have died, with farms near the East Johor Strait the worst hit.
But the situation has improved, said Dr Maliki at the debate on his ministry's budget.
Plankton is a main food source for sea creatures but an unexpected population explosion can suffocate them. Such blooms could be triggered by factors such as dry weather and pollution.
While his ministry is looking at what can be done to reduce pollution, Dr Maliki said it also needs to "better understand the science behind this phenomenon".
This is the second year in a row of mass fish deaths at the farms.
The AVA is collaborating with agencies such as the National Environment Agency, National Parks Board, national water agency PUB and research institutes like the Tropical Marine Study Institute at the National University of Singapore on the study.
Dr Maliki advised fish farmers to learn from counterparts who have installed resilient preventive systems and to tap funds to buy the equipment.
Earlier this month, the AVA also awarded a tender to develop closed fish rearing systems to five companies.
These systems shield fish from external harmful forces. Many farmers rear fish in net cages in the open sea, exposing their stock to unnecessary risks.
Modernise fish farming methods to cut losses: Maliki
LAURA PHILOMIN Today Online 12 Mar 15;
SINGAPORE — Although steps will be taken to minimise the impact of recurring plankton bloom — the most recent episode killed more than 600 tonnes of fish — farmers “must consider modernising their farming methods, so they will be better protected in the long term”, said Minister of State (National Development) Maliki Osman yesterday.
To help fish farmers, the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) will not be imposing the minimum production requirement on affected farms nor take action against them for failing to meet the criterion.
“We ... will allow them sufficient time to get back onto their feet and will continue to help them do so,” Dr Maliki said during the second day of the Ministry of National Development’s Committee of Supply debate yesterday.
The impact of this year’s algal bloom appeared to be more severe, with losses of up to 600 tonnes of fish belonging to 55 farms — up from 500 tonnes of fish from 53 farms last year.
The AVA has been monitoring fish farming areas daily over the past weeks and issuing warnings when needed, Dr Maliki noted.
For example, when it detected elevated plankton levels in the East Johor Straits on Feb 16 and 17, the authority issued warnings to farmers before fish deaths peaked on Feb 27.
Some farmers were able to save part of their stocks following the AVA’s warnings, but Dr Maliki noted that there were others who had not reacted in time.
“We cannot prevent plankton blooms from recurring, but we can take steps to minimise their impact when they occur,” he said.
The AVA will be helping fish farmers develop contingency plans to reduce future loss, while farmers can learn from those who have installed “resilient systems”.
They can also tap the AVA’s Agriculture Productivity Fund to buy relevant equipment, Dr Maliki added.
For example, after the AVA issued its first warning to alert farmers of adverse weather conditions in January, Mr Gary Chang of San Lay Marine Culture Co began lining his net cages with canvas and installed a simple infiltration system to maintain water quality.
His quick action mitigated his losses to only a tenth of last year’s fish kill.
The AVA has also commissioned projects to develop closed containment systems that reduce the vulnerability of fish stock to harmful water conditions.
“The existing mode of farming in net cages in the sea exposes fish to unnecessary risks,” Dr Maliki said, as he urged farmers to modernise their methods.
