Project Name：Surubi Fingerling Breeding and Cultivation Project (Paraguay)

Project status：Completed projects

Cooperating Country：South America, Paraguay

Project Description：

The surubi catfish (Pseudoplatystoma ) is a native species that is in high demand and traditionally eaten by the Paraguayans. Due to excessive fishing of the surubi, its production has been declining these last years. In addition, as the economy develops, per-capita consumption of fish grows every year, (in 1998 each person consumed 3.6 kg per year and in 2013 the amount increased to 6.8 kg per year). To encourage the development of the aquaculture industry, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) of Paraguay hopes that this project can help the country to establish the necessary technology for the reproduction of surubi fingerlings, to supply domestic demands, increase the income of the fishermen, and reduce the risk of attacks by foreign diseases and parasites as a result of the smuggling of fingerlings. The objectives of this project are to develop production and reproduction technology of surubi and the transfer of technology. The content of the project includes: 1. Assist the National Fry Breeding Center in Eusebio Ayala to establish the reproduction technology of surubi fingerlings, consolidating it as the main supply point for fingerlings; 2. Train technicians including 12 MAG researchers to establish a fry production system; 3. Train the breeding extension staffs of MAG to advise the producers, promoting technology in the crop ; 4. Transfer surubi breeding technology to private farms that produce fingerlings, supporting the inclusion of the private sector in the reproduction, production and cultivation of surubi; 5. Increase aquaculture production in this way to preserve and conserve native fish resources of high economic and genetic value in a sustainable way. The expected result of the project is the establishment of the surubí production and reproduction system so that the collaborating entities of Paraguay can produce up to 200,000 fingerlings autonomously.

Implementation Start Date：2018-12-01

Implementation End Date：2022-12-31

Project Objectives：

1. Train technicians to operate fingerling production systems , including 12 personnel from the National University of Asunción and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
2. Carry out tests on surubi fry breeding, test the best production method and establish the fry breeding operation process.
3. Establish a surubi fish production system, so that the Paraguay cooperative unit can produce 200,000 surubi fish by itself.
4. Train breeding extension staffs of MAG, providing guidance to fish farmers to strengthen farming techniques.

Executing Agency：

Taiwan Technical Mission in the Republic of Paraguay / Aquaculture Division, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Paraguay) / School of Veterinary Sciences, National University of Asunción (Paraguay)

Current Progress：

At the end of 2022, the following activities have been completed:

1. Acquired 114 matrix of surubi for cultivation, another self-cultivated 50 matrix of surubi.
2. Bred 200,500 fry and established preliminary operational processes of Surubi breeding, the price of fry dropped from 20,000 Gs. per fish before the start of the project to 3,000 Gs. per fish, greatly reducing the production cost of farmers.
3. Training 12 cooperative personnel (including UNA) breeding pool design, matrix breeding, fry breeding, fry breeding, bait biological breeding, breeding, pond design and fish disease prevention and control capabilities, and annual inspection, combined with Paraguay The government's aquaculture promotion policy, the promotion of duck brood culture promotion activities
4. Seventy one (71) training workshops have been held and a total of 1,774 participants.
5. A “Surubí fry breeding laboratory” was built in the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences of the National University of Asunción.
6. The construction of 8 new pond, new well and water tank for the production and breeding of fry in the "National Fry Production Center" in the city of Eusebio Ayala was projected.
7. Organized 4 demonstrations to observe the instructions described the Surubi breeding achievement.
8. Organized 2 Surubi fish fishing competition.

Project Contact：Ken Hua Chang

Phone：886-2-28732323 Ext. 6045

E-mail：k.h.chang@icdf.org.tw

Projected Benefits：Production of surubi fish reaches 200,000 through local technology transfer.