Talk of Affiliate Scientists (TAS) is one of the dissemination media of SEAMEO BIOTROP to share knowledge and information from SEAMEO BIOTROP’s scientists on various innovations applicable to universities, research institutions, schools, private companies and the general public.  The topics presented in TAS usually are in line with the existing trending topics. 

Among the existing trending topics is the increasing price of fish feed due to the high price of fish feed ingredients, such as fish meal.  The high price of fish feed significantly affects the fish culture, especially the intensive fish culture where around 70% of production cost comes from fish feed. The use of imported ingredients causes the high price of fish feed.  The need for finding substitutes for the ingredients is becoming critical nowadays.  The substitutes should fulfill the food safety and traceability criteria.  To reduce the production cost in fish culture, the cost of fish feed provision should be minimized by developing household fish feed production and by using ingredients from organic wastes. Black Soldier Fly (BSF) is a biological agent which processes organic wastes into protein. Forty percent (40%) of protein content and 20% of lipid content in BSF larvae can be used as sources of protein and lipid in producing fish feed.

To help deal with the fish feed issue, the Talk of Affiliate Scientists of SEAMEO BIOTROP conducted in 30 May 2022, brought up the theme “Black Soldier Fly Larvae as Ingredients for Fish Feed”.  The resource person was Dr Ichsan Fauzi, one of scientists in  the aquatic laboratory of  SEAMEO BIOTROP.  He shared his knowledge on utilizing the larvae of Black Soldier Fly (LBSF) as ingredients of fish feed, especially in freshwater aquaculture.  The LBSF was used as the source of protein, amino acid, lipid and fatty acid for fish feed production.  The preliminary experiment carried out by Dr Ichsan used Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) for 60 days.  The preliminary experiment indicated that LBSF can be used as a substitute for fish meal. 

In his opening remarks, Dr Zulhamsyah Imran, the Director of SEAMEO BIOTROP emphasized the importance of finding substitutes for fish feed ingredients in order to reduce the production cost of aquaculture. This event was actively participated by 120 participants from various research institutions, universities, schools and the general public. (sis).