Carps are the most important cultured species in Indonesia. Production of carps from aquaculture increased by 6 % per annum while capture fisheries decreased by 1 % during 1990-2001. The most important species are Cyprinus carpio, Java barb (Barbonymus gonionotus) and Nile carp (Osteochilus hasseltii). Indonesia is the world’s third largest producer of C. carpio after China and the USSR. In 2001, C. carpio contributed about 90 % of the total carp production.

Cultured carps account for about 86 % of all carps produced in the country. Like China, although carp production has been on the increase, its share in the total aquaculture production eventually declined from 62 % in 1990 to 59 % in 2001. Rapid growth, high market value and better meat quality were important reasons mentioned by farmers. Earlier studies in Indonesia revealed that preference varied across regions. People from central and east Java do not like red C. carpio (Ardiwinata 1981) while it is favored by the people in north Sumatera (Sumantadinata 1995).

Presently, carp culture largely takes place in three environments: ponds, floating cages and rice fields (Kontara and Maswardi 1999). The contributions from these systems to total aquaculture production in the country comprised 9.1 % from brackish water ponds, 4.1 % from freshwater ponds, 1.0 % from cages and 2.4 % from paddy fields. Production from culture grew by 8.4 % annually for brackish water ponds, 7.4 % for freshwater ponds and 2.4 % for paddy fields during 1987-1996; the largest rise in production took place in cage culture, accounting for a 45.8 % annual growth during this period (DGF 1999).

Biological richness in freshwater fish also indicates a wealth of genetic resources of freshwater fish. The freshwater fish genetic resources which are presently exploited are the carps, i.e. common carp (Cyprinus carpio), Java barb (Barbonymus gonionotus), nilem carp (Osteochilus hasseltii), jelawat carp (Leptobarbus hoevenii), mata merah (Puntius orphoides), kancra or soro carp (Tor tambra), batak carp (Neolissochilus thienemanni) and others. C. carpio in particular is one of the economically important species in Indonesia, consisting of several strains that vary in color and body form. In 1998 freshwater fish culture production was about 276,000 tones, of which C. carpio was a leading species with a production of about 109,900 metric tones (39.8 %), while the production of B. gonionotus and O. hasseltii were 23,100 tones (8.4 %) and 10,800 tones (3.9 %), respectively (DGF 2000). C. carpio is cultivated in ponds, rice fields, bamboo or wooden cages in rivers and in floating net cages in lakes or reservoirs, while B. gonionotus and O. hasseltii are cultivated in ponds and rice fields.

Now and after KHV attack, genetic quality of seed and broodstock common carp experiences decrease. KHV in general attacks the common carp in Java and other area which its product comes Java Island. Effects from this attack, many farmers are changing over at other commodity. Producer of common carp lost many of its broodstock and loses their business. This situation also cause decrease germplasm strains of common carp that are generally come from some areas in Java. For example, Majalaya strain becomes difficult to be found in the origin area such as Majalaya, Bandung Province, or Sinyonya strain which now difficult to be found in Pandeglang, Banten Province. Other area of which is not attacked by KHV can be made for the source of plasma. The system conducted to yield KHV free is by applying biosecurity.

Some expert mentions that disease attack at present actually can be overcome through execution of activity of good aquaculture practice, good cropping pattern, vaccination and genetic resistant. Management in produce of common carp broodstock that unsystematic causes degradation on heterozygosity (especially in Majalaya strain). Its degradation will decrease fish performance. The degradation could be in the form of downsizing and body endurance to disease attack.

After KHV attack, the fish hatchery and growout industries collapse, generally in rural areas. In addition, C. carpio and freshwater fish in general constitute one of the cheap sources of animal protein for people with low incomes. Some provinces have been started to develop common carp in each area. Many requests of broodstock and seed also addressed to our Center. Therefore, we have started draws up to compile breeding program for common carp since 2006. Main activities which we do in breeding program are:

• Characterization 6 strains of common carp (Majalaya, Sinyonya, Punten, Cangkringan, Rajadanu, Wildan)
• Pure line propagation
• Produce base population and then mass and family selection
• Hybridization between strains
• Transgenic

Besides by disease attack, production also experiences degradation because genetic quality factor as result of management of seeding that is not systematic and causing reduces heterozygosis. Therefore need to correction systematically and having continuation to improve the condition by applying various science disciplines such as reproduction, genetic, virology, serology and also immunology. After suggestion and discussion for the development agenda of common carp SPF, SPT and SPR from experts (Prof Sukoso-UNIBRAW Malang, Prof Komar Sumantadinata-IPB Bogor, Drs Hambali Supriyadi, MSc-BRPBAT Bogor), Director of Fish Health and Environment, and Director General of Fisheries, hence compiled expansion activity plan for common carp SPF, SPT and SPR.

Sources:

1. Ardiwinata, R.O. 1981. Culture of common carp. Sumur Bandung. 140 p.
2. Directorate General of Fisheries. 2000. Fisheries statistics of Indonesia. Departemen Kelautan dan Perikanan. 77 p.
3. Kontara, E.K. and A. Maswardi. 1999. Present status of common carp farming in Indonesia. World Aquaculture 30(4):14-16, 60-62.
4. MCFAD, 2006. Breeding Program at Main Center for Freshwater Aquaculture Development. Sukabumi
5. Sumantadinata. 1995. Present state of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) stocks in Indonesia. Aquaculture 129:205-209.