Technical Measures for Tilapia Farming to Cope with the Impact of Ice and Snow Disasters

Given cost control and practicality, different stages of the industry should be treated differently and corresponding measures taken.
1. Seed stock conservation and fry breeding units: Build windbreak sheds on the north side of ponds to block the north wind from blowing directly onto the pond surface, slowing the exchange of pond water and thereby slowing the drop in pond water temperature. For ponds that already have overwintering greenhouses, when the temperature inside the greenhouse is too low, burning charcoal, firewood, etc. inside the greenhouse can raise the temperature. When conditions permit, hot water pipes can be used to inject hot water, or hot spring water, into the bottom of the pond, creating a heat island at the pond bottom, which helps fish gather to overwinter. During a cold wave, do not add water just because the pond water level is too low, so as to avoid fish stress that makes them prone to freezing to death. Do not use sun lamps to heat open-air ponds at night, because the light lures fish to the low-temperature surface layer of the pond, causing cold injury and easily triggering saprolegniasis and death. Try not to turn on aerators, to reduce convection of pond water, thereby slowing the rate of temperature drop at the pond bottom and achieving the purpose of cold protection. At the same time, pay attention to changes in water quality, keep the water clean and fresh, and adjust acidic groundwater with an appropriate amount of quicklime.
2. For fish that have reached market size, contact tilapia processing plants as soon as possible for purchase and processing; for market fish that are too small to be used for processing, food enterprises should be organized as much as possible to purchase them for the production of canned food, surimi, cured products, snacks, seasonings, etc., so as to minimize losses for farmers. For raw materials that cannot be processed in time, quick-freeze them after purchase. Products that cannot be used for processing can serve as raw materials for fishmeal production. This cold spell has also exposed the weak links in the current tilapia industry, namely that tilapia processed products are currently limited in variety and have very poor ability to withstand risks.
3. It is recommended that tilapia fry breeding farms do a good job of enhanced conditioning of broodstock during the overwintering period, and carry out broodstock pairing and fry breeding in advance, to respond to the expanded demand for post-disaster fry in this year's farming industry. They should also contact and consult in advance with fry production farms not affected by the cold wave, and make preparations for the transport of fry.