Evaluation of Nile Tilapia Production Systems in Egypt

Experiments were conducted at the Central Laboratory for Aquacultural Research to 1.) evaluate and compare the performance of established PD/A CRSP pond management systems to Egyptian pond management systems and 2.) to assess the economic potential of different tilapia pond culture systems. Five management practices —Traditional Egyptian, Enhanced Egyptian, Feed Only, Fertilization then Feed, and Chemical Fertilization — were tested in twenty 0.1-ha earthen ponds. Young-of-year Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were stocked 20,000/ha and fingerling African catfish were subsequently stocked 60 fish/ha to prey on tilapia offspring. Water quality variables were analyzed weekly for 17 weeks. The Free-Water Diel curve method was used to determine primary productivity on six occasions. Dissolved oxygen was measured with a polarographic dissolved oxygen meter at depths of 5 cm, 25 cm, 50 cm, and 75 cm. Economic potential and profitability were also evaluated using Enterprise Budget Analysis. Fertilization then Feed, Traditional Egyptian, and Enhanced Egyptian treatments, in decreasing order, were more econom-ically viable and produced the greatest gross fish yields, net returns, and average rates of return on capital. These treatments had the highest values of production per man-hour per kilogram of feed and per Egyp-tian pound. In addition, the treatments achieved the highest margins between average prices and break-even prices to cover total variable costs of total costs. Production trial results and economic analyses demonstrated sufficient incentive for the expansion of intensified pond culture in Egypt