About

Introduction

JIRCAS has conducted research into the development of a new concept in shrimp cultivation technique with these universities. This technique involves the propagation of unexploited seaweed species as an ecological foundation in cultivation ponds. It is an inexpensive and sustainable method of water purification, and the seaweeds allows macrobiotic benthos to flourish, which together with seaweed are an auxiliary food source for the shrimp. In addition, this system is low in cost and suitable for small-scale shrimp farmers, who represent a major part of shrimp production in Southeast Asian countries. It also removes the need to use chemicals, furthermore contributing to food safety in both countries of shrimp production and consumption.

When developing our co-culture system of Penaeus monodon, field studies were conducted in coastal areas, excluding national parks or restricted areas in Thailand, to select the seaweeds suitable for co-culture. Experiments were conducted on over 130 different algae and seagrasses to narrow down species suitable for co-culture with shrimp. The information obtained from these seaweed surveys has been compiled in this web site in the hope that it will benefit the preservation of the coastal environment in tropical areas.

We will make effort to update and add more species on this database. Also we hope that this web database will contribute to the preservation of wildlife and coastal ecosystems reliant on underwater plants, and to the sustainable coastal development in tropical countries, and furthermore improve the livelihood of people dwelling in these areas.

Acknowledgements

Portions of data in this web site were obtained through the efforts of an international collaborative research activity among Kasetsart University (KU), King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) and the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS).

Our research would not have been conducted without the support of the following organizations: The National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) which allowed us to conduct our research in Thailand, Toyota Foundation, Japan, whose Research Grant Program (D06-R-0694: An Ecological Survey of Underwater Forests and Production of a Pictorial Guidebook of Marine Plants in Thailand: Protecting the Cradle of Marine Life) has partially supported our field work.

Special thanks are due to Dr. Syou KATO of Kobe University, Japan, and Dr. Fumie KASAI and Ms. Miwa ISHIMOTO of The National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan, for kindly providing taxonomical comments. Special thanks also go to Dr. Toshinobu TERAWAKI of The National Research Institute of Fisheries and Environment of Inland Sea, Fisheries Research Agency, Japan and Dr. Shigeo Matsui of JIRCAS for their comments, which were critical to the descriptions.

We would also like to express great appreciation to Mr. Kenta KUSUDA, Ms. Michi KAGA and Ms. Kaori OHSAWA of The Toyota Foundation, Japan, for their helpful advice, and Ms. Khanittha SRIJANNGAM, Ms. Khanittha LOHAPRASERT and Ms. Malee CHAYTUI for kindly facilitating the field surveys, Ms. Pannee PANYAWATTANAPORN and Ms. Rapeeporn REAKSPUIT of NRCT for their guidance on research in Thailand.

Our sincere gratitude is extended to following people for their support and useful comments: Dean Sakchai CHOOCHOTE of KMITL, and Dr. Masayoshi SAITO, Program Director of JIRCAS.

Copyright and Liability Disclaimer

The copyright to all materials in this database belongs to the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS). You may ONLY link to this page, NOT to any other specific pages or images in this database. JIRCAS, the authors and their affiliated organizations do not give any guarantee or warranty of the accuracy of the information contained herein.

Contributors

Isao TSUTSUI (Researcher, Fisheries Division, JIRCAS)
Kaoru HAMANO (Crustacean Research Group Leader, National Research Institute of Fisheries and Environment of Inland Sea, Japan)
Dusit AUE-UMNEOY (Lecturer, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, KMITL)
Jaruwan SONGPHATKAEW (Senior Research Assistant, SCORL)
Chonlada MEEANAN (Research Fellow, JIRCAS)
Sirimas KLOMKLING (Research Assistant, SCORL)
Halethichanok SUKCHAI (Research Assistant, SCORL)
Monthon GANMANEE (Vice Dean, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, KMITL)
Paveena TAVEEKIJAKARN (Fisheries Section Head, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, KMITL)
Suneerat RUANGSOMBOON (Associate Professor, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, KMITL)
Prapansak SRISAPOOME (Associate Professor, Faculty of Fisheries, KU)
Yukio MAENO (Director, Fisheries Division, JIRCAS)

Uploaded Sept. 24, 2012
Last modified Sept. 24, 2012