PD/A CRSP Research Reports 03-191 to 03-195

Potential for Restaurant Markets for Tilapia in Honduras. Diony Monestime, Ivano Neira, Omar Fúnez, and Carole R. Engle, Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, USA 14 August 2003, CRSP Research Report 03-191 Abstract This report is part of a series of studies conducted during the third quarter of 1999 in Honduras. The project was designed to assess the Honduran market to determine the potential market for tilapia. Three different surveys were conducted: a supermarket survey, an open-air fish market survey, and a full-service restaurant survey. This report will focus on the latter. A random sample and a census of full-service restaurants were taken in all the major urban and selected rural areas of the country. The survey resulted in 72 completed questionnaires by restaurants randomly selected throughout the urban and selected rural areas. While the vast majority of restaurants were familiar with tilapia, only 30% sold tilapia. While tilapia sales were increasing, less than half of the restaurants promoted tilapia entrées. Restaurants that did not sell tilapia still rated it favorably on many attributes but had difficulty obtaining reliable supplies. These restaurant managers also were hesitant about customer reactions to tilapia. Reliable supplies, samples, and catch-of-the-day promotions in restaurants would likely be effective in increasing sales of tilapia. An emphasis on quality and year-round availability of fresh fillets will be critical factors to encourage more restaurants to experiment with tilapia. Order reprints of this paper from the Aquaculture CRSP Information Management Networking Component. Potential for Restaurant Markets for Tilapia in Nicaragua. Ivano Neira and Carole Engle, Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, USA 14 August 2003, CRSP Research Report 03-192 Abstract Domestic markets for farm-raised tilapia could diversify marketing opportunities for Nicaraguan tilapia growers. The availability of alternatives to the US export market could reduce market-related risks. Three surveys were conducted in Nicaragua from August through September 2000. While the study includes surveys of supermarkets and fish market vendors, this report will focus on the restaurant market survey. A random sample of restaurants in all major urban and rural areas resulted in 118 completed restaurant questionnaires. Data were collected on aspects such as supply characteristics, supply channels, demand characteristics, preferences, and consumption patterns. Results indicated increasing potential sales of tilapia but also revealed problems such as negative perceptions by consumers of tilapia off-flavor, contaminated wild-caught fish, and inconsistency of supply. Tilapia is well known in Nicaragua. It was considered the fourth most important finfish sold, but restaurants were reluctant to admit selling tilapia due to off-flavor and consumer fears related to wild-caught tilapia from Lake Managua. Broad-based consumer education and labeling programs may be necessary to overcome perceptions of contamination. Tilapia farms and processors would need to guarantee and ensure the flavor, quality, and safety of their product. Promotional efforts that emphasize these attributes will be essential. Order reprints of this paper from the Aquaculture CRSP Information Management Networking Component. Potential for Open-Air Fish Market Outlets for Tilapia in Honduras. Omar Fúnez, Ivano Neira, and Carole Engle, Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, USA 14 August 2003, CRSP Research Report 03-193 Abstract Honduran tilapia farmers face several problems regarding product size and export-quota requirements. One major obstacle is the significant production of undersized fish not suitable for the export market. Domestic markets would provide stability by offering additional market alternatives, thereby reducing risks associated with having only one target market. The goal of this project is to assess the domestic market as an alternative tilapia outlet. While the overall study includes analyses of open-air fish market, supermarket, and restaurant market outlets, this document will focus on open-air fish markets. A random sample of all open-air fish market vendors in the major urban areas and census of the fish market vendors in the small towns in the country resulted in 66 completed fish market question-naires. The survey showed that tilapia is a well-known product in Honduran open-air markets. Overall, 70% of open-air market vendors sold tilapia, and over half of the open-air market vendors not currently selling tilapia responded that they were very likely to sell tilapia the next year. Approximately 25% of tilapia sold was from Lake Nicaragua. However, lack of demand, high wholesale prices, and off-flavor were mentioned as primary reasons for not selling or not continuing to sell the product. Results indicated relatively stable tilapia sales in recent years; however, inconsistency in supply was a major obstacle for further market growth. The survey results appeared to indicate potential to increase tilapia sales if a consistent supply can be maintained. Nevertheless, careful attention needs to be paid to the costs of production of farm-raised fish versus wholesale prices of wild-caught tilapia. Whole-sale prices of tilapia ranged from US$0.20 to $0.61 lb-1 and averaged $0.51 lb-1. It is unlikely that many tilapia farms would be able to produce and transport tilapia to open-air markets at these wholesale prices. Open-air markets do not appear to represent a profitable market outlet for farm-raised tilapia. Order reprints of this paper from the Aquaculture CRSP Information Management Networking Component. Potential for Open-Air Fish Market Outlets for Tilapia in Nicaragua. Carole R. Engle and Ivano Neira, Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, USA 14 August 2003, CRSP Research Report 03-194 Abstract Nicaraguan tilapia farmers face considerable market risk in attempting to develop export markets for their products. Domestic markets would provide stability by offering additional market alternatives, thereby reducing risks associated with having only one target market. The goal of this project was to assess the domestic market as an alternative tilapia outlet. A complete census of open-air markets was conducted in the major urban and rural population centers. The survey results indicated that tilapia was a common product in Nicaragua, with over 65% of fish market vendors selling tilapia. On average, vendors had been selling tilapia for more than ten years. Tilapia were sold most commonly by vendors with larger stands and those with slightly higher education levels. Inconsistent supplies and insufficient quantities of tilapia have resulted in decreasing sales of tilapia. Sales of freshwater fish in Nicaragua are hampered by fears on the part of consumers over contamination of Lake Managua and the safety of fish supplies as a result. Fear of contamination was the major reason why vendors had either stopped selling or never sold tilapia. Wholesale prices paid by vendors for tilapia are likely to be lower than the price levels that will be necessary to cover production costs of farm-raised tilapia. Order reprints of this paper from the Aquaculture CRSP Information Management Networking Component. Ultrasound Enhanced Immersion Protocols for Masculinazation of Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Amrit N. Bart and A.R.S.B. Athauda, Aquaculture and Aquatic Resources Management, Asian Institute of Technology, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 Thailand Martin S. Fitzpatrick and Wilfrido M. Contreras-Sánchez, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331-1643 USA 21 October 2003, CRSP Research Report 03-195 Abstract Androgen immersion protocols have been unsuccessful in consistently producing all-male tilapia at a high enough ratio for them to be commercially viable. This study explored the use of ultrasound to improve on the results of previous immersion studies. Variables tested include two hormones (trenbolone acetate-TBA and 17a-methyldihydrotestosterone-MDHT) at two concentrations (100 and 250 mg/L) and with or without ultrasound (cavitation level). All hormone treatments with ultrasound and non-ultrasound resulted in significantly higher masculinization than the appropriate controls (P < 0.05). Among pairs of treatments of the same hormone at the same dose, all ultra-sound treatments resulted in significantly higher number of males compared with non-ultrasound treatments with the exception of MDHT 250 mg/L (P < 0.05). Comparing across all ultrasound treatments, TBA 250 mg/L with ultrasound had higher masculinization than all the other ultrasound treatments (P < 0.05). Comparing across all non-ultrasound treatments, TBA 250 mg/L had higher (P < 0.05) masculinization than MDHT 100 mg/L and TBA 100 mg/L with non-ultrasound. Two of the three replicates of TBA 250 mg/L ultrasound treatment resulted in 100% males and the highest mean percentage (98%) of males. This study thus demonstrated the potential of a short-term immersion protocol using ultrasound to more predictably produce all-male, commercially viable tilapia seed. This abstract is excerpted from the orginal paper, which was published in the Journal of the World Aquaculture Society, 34(2):210–216.

Previous group of reports: 02-186 to 02-190
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