Controlling giant grouper maturation, spawning and juvenile production in Vietnam, the Philippines and Australia

Groupers form the basis of the live reef food-fish trade in the South-East Asian region, and already the industry has a well established capacity for tiger grouper (Epinephelus fuscogutattus) aquaculture. Giant grouper (E. lanceolatus), another mid-tier value grouper but with a faster growth rate, has great aquaculture potential but few regional facilities have achieved production of juveniles.

ACIAR developed a large, 4-year project to address various aspects of giant grouper aquaculture. This activity enabled partners in the Philippines and Vietnam to secure funds to acquire giant grouper broodstock for the 4-year project, to test the genetic basis of existing broodstock in RIA1 (Vietnam) and to carry out a trial hormone induction of giant grouper to induce spawning. In addition, project partners visited giant grouper operations in Taiwan to examine the logistics of their operation.