Fish to be artificially bred in Swabi hatchery

Secretary orders action against fish poaching in province

PESHAWAR:

Secretary Livestock and Fisheries Department Mukhtiar Ahmed has issued orders to take strict legal action under Fisheries and Aquaculture Act 2022 against poaching in the province.

He issued these orders on the occasion of a briefing on fisheries.

Director General Fisheries Dr Khusro Kalam gave a detailed briefing to the secretary on various projects of fisheries.

In the briefing, it was informed that the establishment of Fisheries Biodiversity Center Peshawar has been implemented for the first time in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. This will increase the number of fish significantly in the province by breeding the fish facing extinction and re-stocking them in natural reservoirs.

Apart from this, the center will be helpful in playing an important role in the research on cold, warm and semi-cold water fish.

It was further informed that Swabi Carp Hatchery consists of 170 land canals in which warm water fish will be artificially bred, while Tarbela Dam and Khanpur Dam, the largest in the province, will play an important role in stocking in Haripur, which will benefit millions of people.

Research Center Swat will carry out research on cold water fish i.e. Trout fish, which will result in high quality of Trout available to landlords in different varieties.

Work on the formulation of fish feed will also be carried out that will help make high quality fish available at very low cost.

Mansehra trout hatchery will also be established.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30^th, 2022.