Cage farms introduced to boost fish production

Punjab has annual production target of 100,000 tonnes

LAHORE:

Punjab has set a target of 100,000 metric tonnes of fish production this year and cage farming has been started at the government level for the first time in the province.

About 5,000 cages will be installed in various streams and lakes of Punjab where thousands of tons of fish can be raised.

There are 193 species of freshwater fish in Pakistan. However, few of them are being bred in artificial environments.

Punjab Fisheries Director Saima Sadiq Mir told The Express Tribune that mostly Chinese fish species are being bred. She added that the fishing season in the province is from July to August. However, Gulfam fish is ready by the end of winter, while the silver and grass fish start growing in April. Saima Mir said the production target of fish in Punjab is 100,000 metric tonnes and it would be produced in farms across the province.

According to fisheries officials, cage fish farming has been started at the official level for the first time in Punjab from June 24. The first fish cage has been installed in Mianwali's Chashma Lake. A cage is six metres long and as much wide, while the depth of the net is three metres.

Cage fish farming is an innovative method which can bring production equivalent to about an acre from a space of one marla. The cages are installed in natural water.

The fisheries director said fish farmers have 80% financial support from the Punjab government. The cage fish farming project has been launched as part of an initiative to introduce modern techniques in the field.

Punjab Fisheries Department spokesperson

Mian Ghulam Qadir said Punjab has been included under the National Food Security and Research mega project.

According to a report, there are about 55 small dams in Pothohar region of Punjab where cage fish farming can be done easily. He said that during 2014-17, cages were imported from China and tilapia fish were nurtured experimentally in Dhok Talian and Dharabi Dam near Chakwal.

Now 20 imported and 20 locally made cages have been installed in Kot Raja Dam and Manwal Dam. The Cage Fish Culture Technology Project will cost Rs1.774 billion. The project aims to promote cage fish culture through subsidy and utilise unused water resources to increase fish production. The project will create new jobs and help avert food shortage in the province.

According to official documents, 5,000 cages will be installed in small dams, streams, rivers and lakes in different districts of Punjab for breeding different types of fish. Under the project, 500 cages will be set up in Rawalpindi, 600 in Attock, 500 in Jhelum, 1,200 in Mianwali, 800 in Chakwal, 300 in Vehari, 600 in Muzaffargarh, 300 in Jhang, 100 in Mandi Bahauddin and 100 in Gujranwala. Farmers have also been given month-long training by the department of fisheries on cage fish farming. Farmers will be given 10 to 20 cages in which they will stock and feed baby fish in the light of the recommendations of the fisheries department. Under the project, 500 cages will be installed during the current year, 1,000 each year for the next three years and 1,500 in the last year.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2020.