Annelie Salvador-Siervo is an Assistant Professor at the University of Eastern Philippines, affiliated with the Fisheries Department of the College of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Natural Resources. She holds a Master’s degree in Fisheries Technology with a major in Aquaculture and is currently pursuing a PhD in Technology Management. With a background in both agriculture and fisheries, she is a licensed Fisheries Professional and a licensed Professional Teacher. Her professional experience includes serving as a technical staff at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and managing multi-species hatchery operations. Her research focuses on sustainable aquaculture, seaweed culture, urban food systems, and fisheries productivity, with notable leadership in projects utilizing innovative feed formulations and community outreach programs. She has received multiple awards for her work, including Best Paper recognitions at national conferences. Annelie is also actively involved in professional organizations and engages in outreach efforts such as livelihood training and rehabilitation support programs.
Development of Formulated Feed Using Golden Apple Snail (Pomacea canaliculata) and Sea Lettuce (Ulva lactuca) as Sustainable Ingredients to Milkfish (Chanos chanos) Feed (Study leader), Production and Profitability of Parasol Method of Seaweed Culture (Study leader)
Productivity and Profitability of the Parasol Method of Seaweed Culture
The commercial cultivation of Kappaphycus in the Philippines began several years ago due to its high economic value, positioning the country as a former global leader in production. However, since 2007, Philippine seaweed farming has encountered persistent production challenges, resulting in its displacement by Indonesia. In response to increasing global demand for Kappaphycus as an export commodity, there is a critical need for scalable and sustainable cultivation technologies that improve productivity and profitability. This study evaluated nine farming setups, highlighting the parasol method alongside the conventional raft and longline systems, across two cropping periods to assess their yield and economic return performance. The parasol method yielded the highest production, with 176.79 kg of fresh biomass (25.25 kg dried), outperforming the raft (170.84 kg fresh; 24.40 kg dried) and longline (170.48 kg fresh; 24.35 kg dried) methods. Specific growth rate (SGR) was also highest in the parasol method (2.04 g day?¹) versus the raft and longline methods (2.01 g day?¹). Economic analysis revealed that the parasol method offered the greatest return on investment (ROI) at 65.40%, compared to 57.82% for the raft and 56.81% for the longline systems. One-way ANOVA confirmed statistically significant differences in productivity among the methods (p < .001). These findings suggest that the parasol method, given its simple design, is a scalable and economically viable alternative for smallholder seaweed farmers across coastal communities in the Philippines, offering faster returns and improved space efficiency. Moreover, it supports marine-based climate action and contributes to sustainable development goals through enhanced food security and carbon sequestration.