FUNCTION AND TASKS

1. To develop and submit to MARD:

– Strategies, long-term and annual plans, research programs/projects of science and technologies in fisheries related to RIA2 functions and to implement them after  approval from MARD;

– National technical standards/regulations, technical – economic rates, procedures and technical guidelines in aquaculture, fisheries processing and post-harvest technologies,  capture fisheries, management and conservation of fisheries resources.

2. To carry out basic and applied research on:

– Advanced technologies for development of aquaculture, capture fisheries, management and conservation of fisheries resources;

– Impact assessment of water resource utilisation, environment and climate change on fisheries/aquaculture and their adaptation/mitigation;

– Biological characteristics of growth, feeding and reproduction of high-value fishes and other aquatic animals;

– Epidemics, pathogens and causes of aquatic animal diseases; their prophylactics, treatments and health management;

– Vaccines and probiotics used in aquaculture;

– Genetic  and selective breeding, artificial propagation of fishes and other aquatic animals for aquaculture; and hybridisation application for productive hybrid progeny;

– Fish nutrition and aqua feed technologies and other live foods used in aquaculture;

– Processing and post-harvest technologies of fisheries products;

– Domestication and acclimatisation of new aquatic species into local water bodies;

3. To carry out monitoring, surveillance and warnings for the aquatic environment and outbreaks of diseases in aquaculture.

4. To perform surveys on the aquatic environment, inland and coastal fisheries resources; and set up regional and sectorial planning for exploitation and conservation of natural fisheries resources, development of aquaculture and fisheries processing/post harvest.

5. To collect, select and conserve pure stocks of high-value/precious fishes and other aquatic species; and exploitation of their gene pools for aquaculture targets.

6. To perform experimental trials on newly introduced seed, feed, chemicals, probiotics and other products utilised in aquaculture and evaluation of their qualities as regulations.

7. To conduct training and extension in fisheries technologies as well as involving post-graduate education in aquaculture.

8. To set up databases on fisheries research management, publish and distribute research outputs and new information/knowledge of fisheries science and technologies.

9. To collaborate with domestic and international institutions as well as the private sector in research, training and development of fisheries technologies.

10. To provide technology transfers in aquaculture, fisheries post-harvest and processing; training and consultancy services in exploitation and conservation of fisheries resources;

11. To carry out production/trading and other business related to fisheries products.