Dr Rokmin Dahuri,
Minister for Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Indonesia

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Morning. I bid you a very warm welcome to this inaugural Marine Aquaculture Conference.

Global Perspectives

2 Aquaculture is a fast growing industry globally, averaging 9.2% annual growth over the past three decades. Future outlook is bright as more and more countries turn to aquaculture as a more sustainable source of supply of food fish, rather than relying solely on harvesting from the wild.

Opportunities for Asia

3 Asia is now the largest producer of farmed food fish. South East Asia in particular offers an excellent environment for tropical marine aquaculture. Four out of the top ten aquaculture-producing countries in the world are in this region – Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. As South East Asian nations increase their investment to further develop and grow their aquaculture sectors, we will see greater opportunities in our region for win-win collaboration.

Benefits of Marine Aquaculture to ASEAN

4 With declining sea catch, marine aquaculture offers an attractive alternative for ASEAN to supply quality tropical marine food fish at affordable prices. We can establish benchmarks on price and quality since aquaculture is done in a more controlled and consistent environment than captive fisheries.

5 One challenge we face is to enhance food safety through the adoption of Good Aquaculture Practices to minimise the use of antibiotics and other drugs in culturing fish fry. The production of high value products certified free from harmful chemicals will give producers in our region a competitive edge in capturing a bigger slice of the export markets.

6 Another challenge is to exploit relevant technology to enhance productivity and production efficiency for fish farming. The development of a vibrant marine aquaculture industry can generate business spin-offs in related products (such as fish health products, feeds and equipment) as well as services (e.g. consultancies, engineering, processing and logistics services). Norway and Greece, which have developed modern aquaculture industries, are prime examples.

Keener Competition and Faster Pace of Innovation

7 Competition across the globe will get only keener, and the pace of innovation will get only faster. To realize our region’s full potential, exchange of information, experience and technology on new developments in supply, safety and innovation will yield great mutual benefits among regional countries. It will help facilitate more effective exploitation of technology and innovative ideas in our industries, to further advance the development of marine aquaculture in this region.

Singapore’s Initiative in Marine Aquaculture Development

8 Singapore will play its part in contributing to the development of a modern aquaculture industry in ASEAN.

9 The AVA has set up a Marine Aquaculture Centre to develop technology for tropical marine fish species. It is also promoting the adoption of large-scale aquaculture in Singapore and in the region. The technology developed can help enhance the production capacity of high quality food fish in the region.

10 Several organizations and institutes, including the National University of Singapore and the Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, are also involved in aquaculture R&D, focusing on hatchery technology, fish health diagnostics, nutrition improvement, broodstock genetic selection, genetic traceability and food safety.

11 By leveraging on each other’s strengths and expertise as a region, ASEAN is well positioned to tap further into the growing global demand for seafood. Singapore’s upstream R&D in aquaculture and hatchery technologies can add to the growth of a vibrant aquaculture industry in the region. Singapore’s connectivity, financial system and cold chain logistics can also serve as a regional gateway for the export of high quality and safe seafood to the global markets.

Moving Ahead – A Seafood Hub

12 This Conference is a timely platform to open up doors to new avenues for collaborations and partnership in our region. Over the next two days, the Conference will focus on the latest developments and commercial viability in marine food fish breeding, hatchery and related technologies. I wish you a fruitful time as you network, exchange ideas, and explore business opportunities. Working together, we can further strengthen the role of ASEAN as a leading seafood hub for the world.

13 It is my honor to declare this Conference open. Thank you.

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