SUCH succulent prawns.

Anyone looking at the images of Brunei's Black Tiger Prawns in yesterday's edition of The Brunei Times would think the same.

What an achievement for Brunei's Fisheries Department! By successfully breeding disease-free Black Tiger Prawns, the department has effectively put Brunei on the map by being the only producer of specific pathogen-free (SPF) species in Southeast Asia.

On Tuesday, it revealed that its first harvest at the Aquaculture Research and Development Centre consisted of prawns that had grown rapidly in excess of 40 grammes, exceeding researchers' estimates.

The Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar said it was a "breakthrough" in breeding monodons in "dense situations".

The results represents a major leap in the progress of Brunei's aquaculture sector. It is a significant step forward in transforming the country from a petroleum-based economy to a knowledge-based economy, said a director of the US-based aquaculture company, which has collaborated with the Fisheries Department to produce the high-yield of large, disease-free Black Tiger Prawns using an environmentally-friendly system with minimal wastage.

George Chamberlain of Integrated Aquaculture International (IAI) added that Brunei has managed to "turn back the clock" to the times before disease affected the region's Black Tiger Prawn industry.

This is wonderful news for the new year as His Majesty's government continue to make concerted efforts towards economic diversification. This result will definitely boost the confidence of players in the aquaculture industry and show the world that Brunei can create success while maintaining its aim of being an environmentally-conscious nation.