PHNOM PENH – As the only marine hatchery and disease diagnostic center in the country, Marine Aquaculture Research and Development Center (MARDeC) has the job of ensuring food safety and economic development by supplying quality hatchlings to farmers and aquaculture research.

Established in 2012 with $10 million assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), MARDeC is a leading maritime aquaculture research and development center.

Within a two-hectare complex in Preah Sihanouk province, MARDeC is capable of hatching a variety of fish which are popular on the market including seabass, brown-marbled grouper, blue swimming crab and stone crab.

The center produces 50,000 seabass per year and sells them at $.25 per fish. The farming community can buy fingerlings at half price.

MARDeC also releases a million blue crab hatchlings to the sea to boost numbers of one of the most popular crabs in the country and has started to hatch stone crab this year.

Mam Sokdara, director of MARDeC speaks to members of media outlets. Photo: Torn Chanritheara
MARDeC director Mam Sokdara said that the first hatchery started in 2013 after the staff received more technical training abroad with help from JICA, focusing on seabass and brown-marbled grouper before they were distributed to farmers.

He said the center hatches blue crab for release in the sea since the center want to consume leftover food from the seabass. The stone crabs are still being tested and haven’t been provided to farmers yet.

“We follow up with farmer about fish’s health and food compared to imported ones,” he said during a media roadshow organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) on July 17.

Sokdara said MARDeC also follows diseases diagnosed in coastal provinces for better treatment.

Staffs at MARDeC check the fish. Photo: Torn Chanritheara
He said that the center has provided fish to farmers in Kandal, Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Takeo and Phnom Penh.

Im Rachna, undersecretary of state of MAFF who was leading the media trip on CAPFISH-Capture project, said MAFF had previously announced an increase in natural resources this year.

However, the growing population was leading to a rise in demand and natural resources may be affected if there is no additional farming to supply fish in the market.

“Aquaculture is very important to ensure the balance between supply and demand and at the same time protect sustainability of natural resources,” she said.

Im Rachna (R), Undersecretary of State of MAFF and Yos Chanthana, deputy director of Preah Sihanouk Provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, speak to members of media outlets during visit to MARDeC. Photo: Chhum Chantha
Yos Chanthana, deputy director of Preah Sihanouk provincial department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said the province has potential in fishing and aquaculture.

He said that MARDeC plays an important role in aquaculture as it provides fingerlings to farmers and offers treatment.

Shetty Seetharama Thombathu, UNIDO chief technical advisor, said aquaculture is the future of Cambodia and the world. He said that Cambodia has one of the highest rates of fish consumption with an average of 50kg per person in a year.

Tonle Sap Lake is the main source of fish, along with the sea and other sources including farming, he said.

“We need more fish. How we get more fish? That’s why we turn to aquaculture,” he said.

Shetty Seetharama Thombathu (L), UNIDO chief technical advisor, said aquaculture is the future of Cambodia. Photo: Chhum Chantha

Thombathu highlighted the link between CAPFISH-Capture and aquaculture and how to provide more raw material so that food security could be improved.

MARDeC has support from EU-co funded project CAPFISH-Aqua through the CO-SAVED program. With the support, the center provides fingerlings to farmers, technical assistance on water quality control and diseases treatment. CO-SAVED also works with MARDeC to breed blue swimming crab and release them to their natural habitat.

Aiming to produce more human resources, the center trains 5-10 students a year.

Young crab is raised at MARDeC. Photo: Torn Chanritheara

Fish seen swimming in a water tank at MARDeC. Photo: Chhum Chantha