114
J. Nabhitabhata and S. Segawa
7.1 Introduction
Marine natural resources, including cephalopods, are declining due to the consequences of climate change in the global environment and anthropogenic activities. Cephalopods are more commercially vulnerable due to their short lifespan,
compared to fish, crustaceans and other molluscs. Based on this awareness, public
sectors in Japan and Thailand have initiated the restocking programme using the
aquaculture methodology. The aquaculture-restocking activities in the two countries have been outstanding. Cephalopod restocking has a long history in Japan
for as long as 50 years, i.e. since 1963 (JASFA 2003). The attempt began with
studies on aquaculture and restocking of Octopus vulgaris and Sepioteuthis lessoniana. In Thailand, the history of cephalopod restocking is more than 20 years old
(since 1990), but the attempt on developing the aquaculture technology had started
10 years earlier, in 1978 (Nabhitabhata 1978a, b). The economic status of the two
countries is different; therefore, this has led to differences in the details of the two
developed methodologies, although the objective is similar, since the reduction of
cost of production is one of the main common concerns.
7.2 Restocking in Japan
7.2.1 Background
A total of ten species of cephalopods found in Japanese waters have been reported to be reared or cultured from eggs for the purpose of studying their basic life
histories and the culture of cephalopods (Boletzky and Hanlon 1983) but none of
these studies were initially aimed at restocking. Nominated species were Sepia esculenta, Sepia lycidas (as Sepia subaculeata), Sepia latimanus, Euprymna berryi,
Idiosepius paradoxus, S� lessoniana, Heterololigo bleekeri, Todarodes pacificus, O�
vulgaris and Amphioctopus fangsiao (as Octopus ocellatus) (Choe 1966; Choe and
Oshima 1963; Inoha 1971; Natsukari 1970; Inoha and Sezoko 1967; Soichi 1976;
Matsumoto 1976; Hamabe 1963; Itami et al. 1963; Yamauchi and Takeda 1964).
Among them, S� esculenta, S� latimanus, S� lessoniana, O� vulgaris and A� fangsiao
(Fig. 7.1, Table 7.1) are presently reared from eggs to their sub-adult stages to help
to clarify the life history of the species and to provide basic information for aquaculture (Boletzky and Hanlon 1983).
In Japan, the production of finfish seed for restocking has been promoted by the
Seto Inland Sea Fish Farming Association (SISFFA), established in 1963. This organization was, later, merged with the Japan Sea-Farming Association (JASFA) in 1978
with one of its aims being to develop the technology for restocking of aquatic resources under the Japan Fisheries Agency. SISFFA and JASFA have played a major role
in the development of the technology for seed production for restocking not only for
finfish (Fushimi 2001) but also for cephalopods. In 1963, SISFFA began experiments
to incubate the egg masses of O� vulgaris and S� lessoniana collected from the sea for
J. Nabhitabhata and S. Segawa
7.1 Introduction
Marine natural resources, including cephalopods, are declining due to the consequences of climate change in the global environment and anthropogenic activities. Cephalopods are more commercially vulnerable due to their short lifespan,
compared to fish, crustaceans and other molluscs. Based on this awareness, public
sectors in Japan and Thailand have initiated the restocking programme using the
aquaculture methodology. The aquaculture-restocking activities in the two countries have been outstanding. Cephalopod restocking has a long history in Japan
for as long as 50 years, i.e. since 1963 (JASFA 2003). The attempt began with
studies on aquaculture and restocking of Octopus vulgaris and Sepioteuthis lessoniana. In Thailand, the history of cephalopod restocking is more than 20 years old
(since 1990), but the attempt on developing the aquaculture technology had started
10 years earlier, in 1978 (Nabhitabhata 1978a, b). The economic status of the two
countries is different; therefore, this has led to differences in the details of the two
developed methodologies, although the objective is similar, since the reduction of
cost of production is one of the main common concerns.
7.2 Restocking in Japan
7.2.1 Background
A total of ten species of cephalopods found in Japanese waters have been reported to be reared or cultured from eggs for the purpose of studying their basic life
histories and the culture of cephalopods (Boletzky and Hanlon 1983) but none of
these studies were initially aimed at restocking. Nominated species were Sepia esculenta, Sepia lycidas (as Sepia subaculeata), Sepia latimanus, Euprymna berryi,
Idiosepius paradoxus, S� lessoniana, Heterololigo bleekeri, Todarodes pacificus, O�
vulgaris and Amphioctopus fangsiao (as Octopus ocellatus) (Choe 1966; Choe and
Oshima 1963; Inoha 1971; Natsukari 1970; Inoha and Sezoko 1967; Soichi 1976;
Matsumoto 1976; Hamabe 1963; Itami et al. 1963; Yamauchi and Takeda 1964).
Among them, S� esculenta, S� latimanus, S� lessoniana, O� vulgaris and A� fangsiao
(Fig. 7.1, Table 7.1) are presently reared from eggs to their sub-adult stages to help
to clarify the life history of the species and to provide basic information for aquaculture (Boletzky and Hanlon 1983).
In Japan, the production of finfish seed for restocking has been promoted by the
Seto Inland Sea Fish Farming Association (SISFFA), established in 1963. This organization was, later, merged with the Japan Sea-Farming Association (JASFA) in 1978
with one of its aims being to develop the technology for restocking of aquatic resources under the Japan Fisheries Agency. SISFFA and JASFA have played a major role
in the development of the technology for seed production for restocking not only for
finfish (Fushimi 2001) but also for cephalopods. In 1963, SISFFA began experiments
to incubate the egg masses of O� vulgaris and S� lessoniana collected from the sea for