By: Dr. Hui Gong
My thanks to Dr. Donald Lightner, Mr. Josh Wilkenfeld , Dr. Dosoo Jang and Dr. James McVey in NOAA, and Dr. In Kwon Jang for all their efforts in arranging this trip to Korea. Special thanks to Dr. In Kwon Jang for preparing detailed itinerary and guiding me during this trip. The objectives of the trip were to investigate the status of development of SPF Fenneropenaeus chinensis and the possibility of purchasing F. chinensis broodstocks from Korea, and to establish contact for potential cooperation in the near future.
May 8th
I flew from Qingdao, China to Seoul, Korea. Dr. Jang and Miss Shin met me at Inchon Int? Airport and sent me to the Hotel. We had dinner together.
May 9th
In the morning, Dr. Jang led me to visit West Sea Fisheries Research Institute (WSFRI), introduced me to Dr. An Yong Kim (Institute director) and Dr. Young Je Park (Aquaculture division director). WSFRI is one of the three major oceanic institutes in Korea, consisting of 30 marine scientists and total 60 faculties. WSFRI are expanding their facility on the Island nearby Inchon Int? Airport and the facility will be in use next February. Dr. Kim welcomed me back to visit their facility at that time. After that, we headed for Ajou University, visited Dr. Ha's Genetics lab in medical center where Dr. Jang's researchers performed PCR testing. Dr. Jang planned to relocate his PCR lab in the Department of Biology at Inchon University. Dr. Jang have worked on SPF F. chinensis since 1999 and established a set of feasible methods for WSBV testing, which was capable of testing 2000 broodstock within a day. He mentioned that their nested PCR analyses increased sensitivity of the testing, and He hasn't found WSBV positive broodstock this year. However, Dr. Jang hasn't done any HPV, YHV or IHHNV testing.
In the afternoon, we visited TaeAn SPF Hatchery, in which Dr. Jang holds partnership, and met with Mr. Yeon Jin Kim, the owner. There are nineteen 50 metric ton FRP tanks (8 meters in diameter, 1meter in depth) and eight 20-MT FRP tanks (5 meters in diameter). They usually put 200 to 300 broodstocks (40-60grams) in each 50-Ton tank, and 100 in 20-Ton tank. All the tanks were installed with heat exchange tubes for temperature control. They adjusted the tank temperature to introduce spawning: 15-16°C in the first tank for the first time spawning, one day later remove all the shrimp to the second tank with the temperature at 18-19°C for the second time spawning, then transfer shrimp to the 3rd tank at 20-22°C for the third time spawning. The second time spawning is the one producing the highest density and best quality of eggs together with the high hatching rate. The shrimps after three spawnings were considered no good because of low hatching rate, low density and poor quality of the eggs. Generally, it took about 25 days from eggs to postlarvae stage when tank temperature was at the range of 19 to 25°C. They sold their shrimp to nearby shrimp farms, within 3-4 hrs' driving distance. I happened to witness their packing procedures for shipping PL 9 out: In a big plastic barrel with plastic bags inside, 150 thousand shrimp were put in 200 liters water at temperature 16-17°C after inflated with oxygen, the plastic bags were tied tightly and the barrels were ready to load on the truck for shipment. I was told that these shrimp would be good for 7 hrs. There were total 7 people working in the hatchery from April to June. After June, they will go to work in the farm. When asked what is their time tables for selling broodstocks and postlarvae, Dr. Jang answered that it should be no later than the end of May for postlarvae and no later than the end of June for broodstock. The price of broodstocks would be $10 -$15/piece depending on how easy the fisherman capture the shrimp. As for the shipping cost and Custom procedures, he didn't know the details at the time. We agreed that we would follow up with him for more information.
We visited one shrimp farm later that afternoon.
May 10th
In the morning, we visited National TaeAn Hatchery of WSFRI. They cultured abalone, jicon scallop, ark shell, washington clam and pen shell, and then released the cultured animals to the Yellow Sea to prevent the shortage of natural resources of these species due to over-fishing. We visited another shrimp farm in TaeAn. The sizes of the three ponds were 2, 2.5 and 3 ha, and nine 3-hp paddle-wheels were installed in each pond. They stocked PL8-10 directly in the ponds with the density of 30/m2. The grow-out period took 4 months, survival was 50%. Last year, the total yield was 30 tons. The owner of this farm claimed that they hadn? had disease problems for 4 years. After visiting the farm, we headed for Pusan by car.
May 11th
In the morning, we arrived NFRDI headquarter in Pusan, attended a joined annual conference of Korean Aquaculture Society and Korean Fisheries Society in NFRDI. This conference provided me a great opportunity to meet many scientists in such a short period of time. Dr. Jang introduced me to Dr. Yoon Kim, Dr.Hyon-Sob Han, Dr. Jong Yun Lee, Dr. Hyung-Kee Cha, Dr. Jin Yeong Kim, Dr. Yong Jin Kang, Dr. Hea-Young Moon Lee, Dr. Jung-Ha Kang, Dr. Sung Yun Hong, Dr. Sungchul C. Bai and Dr. Kyung-Hee Jung. Miss Jin from Korean Aquaculture Magazine interviewed me regarding this trip and our company. I explained to her briefly about AMA, our interest in developing and commercializing SPF F. chinensis in US, and our wish of cooperating with Korean scientists through NOAA. There was one topics interested me most-the populations of F. chinensis in Yellow Sea. Dr. Cha and Dr. Jang indicated to me that there were at least two populations of F. chinensis: western sea population and southern sea population. These two populations have different immigration pathway, size and lifespan. It will be interesting to know if they are different in genetics and resistance to various viruses, and adaptation to different environment. Maybe there is a third population in north China.
May 12th
I flew from Pusan to Seoul then back to US.
In summary
Arizona Mariculture Associates, LLC is very interested in developing SPF F. chinensis for winter culture in Arizona. We were very fortunate to explore potential cooperation under the official bilateral arrangement from both NOAA and NFRDI. This trip was very productive. I visited the facilities for developing SPF F. chinensis, collected a lot of useful information and established good contacts with people in various groups. Dr. In Kwon Jang and people from NFRDI were very friendly and supportive. As far as I understand, the governmental restrictions of exporting F. chinensis may be less rigid in Korea than in China. There is greater chance for us to obtain F. chinensis broodstocks.
Future contact information for obtaining F. chinensis broodstocks from Korea
(Inchon-TaeAn-Yosu-Pusan, Korea)
| Dr. In Kwon Jang Senior Research Fellow National Fisheries Research & Development Institute (NFRDI) West ea Fisheries Research Institute Tel: +82-032-763-4308 Fax: +82-032-761-0466 Mobile: +82-019-520-3511 Email: jangik@nfrdi.re.kr |
Mr. Yeon Jin Kim Manager/owner TaeAn SPF Hatchery Through Dr. Jang |
| Dr. An Yong Kim Director West Sea Fisheries Research Institute, NFRDI Tel: +82-032-761-3771 Mobile: +82-011-773-3771 |
Dr. Young-Je Park Division Chief West Sea Fisheries Research Institute, NFRDI Tel: +82-032-764-6632 Fax: +82-032-761-0466 Mobile: +82-011-371-3922 Email: scallop@shinbiro.com |
| Dr. Hyon-Sob Han West Sea Fisheries Research Institute, NFRDI |
Dr. Yoon Kim Director Aquaculture Department, NFRDI Tel: +82-51-720-2400~2 Fax: +82-51-720-2439 Email: yoonkim@nfrdi.re.kr |
| Dr. Yoon Kim Director Aquaculture Department, NFRDI Tel: +82-51-720-2400~2 Fax: +82-51-720-2439 Email: yoonkim@nfrdi.re.kr |
Dr. Jong Yun Lee Director Biotechnology Division, NFRDI Tel: +82-51-720-2440 Fax: +82-51-720-2456 Email: Leejy@nfrdi.re.kr |
| Dr. Hyung-Kee Cha Researcher Coastal & Offshore Fisheries Resources Division, NFRDI Tel: +82-051-720-2282 Fax: +82-051-720-2277 Email: hkcha@nfrdi.re.kr |
Dr. Jin Yeong Kim Director Fisheries Scientist Coastal & Offshore Fisheries Resources Division, NFRDI Tel: +82-051-720-2270 Fax: +82-051-720-2277 Email: jiykim@nfrdi.re.kr |
| Dr. Yong Jin Kang Researcher Aquaculture Division, NFRDI Tel: +82-051-720-2412 Fax: +82-051-720-2439 Email: yikang@nfrdi.re.kr |
Dr. Hea-Young Moon Lee Researcher Aquaculture Division, NFRDI Tel: +82-051-720-2423 Fax: +82-051-720-2114 Email: hylee@nfrdi.re.kr |
| Dr. Jung-Ha Kang Researcher Genetic Engineering Laboratory, Biotechnology Division, NFRDI Tel: +82-051-720-2451 Fax: +82-051-720-2456 Email: kjh12@hotmail.com |
Dr. Sung Yun Hong Professor Pukyong National University Tel: +82-051-620-6264 Mobile: +82-017-843-6006 Email: syhong@dolphin.pknu.ac.kr |
| Dr. Sungchul C. Bai Director Associate Professor Feeds & Nutrition Research Center Department of Aquaculture Pukyong National University Tel: +82-051-620-6874 Fax: +82-051-628-6873 Email: scbai@mail.pknu.ac.kr |
Dr. Kyung-Hee Jung Director DMJ Biotech Corp. DMJ Biotech Research Center Tel: +82-42-862-0365 Fax: +82-42-862-0702 Email: jkh@dmj.org |
| Miss Jin(?) Reporter Korean Aquaculture Magazine |