SEAFDEC/AQD launches first regional oyster hatchery training

The Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD) launched its first training course on oyster hatchery operations, equipping aquaculture practitioners from three countries with practical hatchery skills to support sustainable oyster farming.

Held from 23 June to 2 July 2026 at its Tigbauan Main Station in Iloilo, the 10-day course brought together five participants—two from the Philippines, two from Brunei Darussalam and one from Bangladesh—representing government and research institutions, the academe, and the private aquaculture sector.

“One of the biggest challenges facing oyster farming is ensuring a reliable supply of quality seed. The establishment of oyster hatcheries will help lessen our dependence on the fluctuating supply of wild seed which is affected by seasonal spawning, pollution, and other natural factors,” said SEAFDEC/AQD Chief Dan Baliao.

Trainees took part in hands-on session in laboratories and hatcheries where they induced spawning of oyster broodstock, handled fertilized eggs, and reared oyster larvae under the guidance of SEAFDEC/AQD researchers.

They also received lectures from specialists on oyster hatchery design, broodstock management, larval rearing, natural food production, nursery techniques, biosecurity, and economics of hatchery and grow-out production.

The course also included visits to the Dumangas Brackishwater Station to observe nursery operations and to oyster farms at Pinamuk-an Island in Aklan, where participants learned commercial grow-out practices.

“The lectures and hands-on exercises stem directly from our research and development work at SEAFDEC/AQD. They are built to enhance your technical skills by immersing you in practical, real-world hatchery scenarios during the hands-on sessions,” said Dr. Edgar Amar, head of the Training and Information Division, to the trainees during the closing program.

The training forms part of SEAFDEC/AQD’s continuing efforts to transfer research-based technologies to government agencies, academic institutions and the aquaculture industry, helping strengthen the long-term growth of the oyster farming industry.