Islamabad plans hatchery at Rawal Dam

Sources say 5-acre piece of land allocated for fish farming

ISLAMABAD:

The district administration of the federal capital will set up a hatchery ‘on par with international standards’ over five-acre land of the Rawal Dam, it emerged on Tuesday.

This was said to be part of an overall strategy to trigger economic development through fish consumption and export. It was also stated as an alternative for the emerging food requirements of an increasing populace.

The project includes the construction of ponds and fish feed centres using the latest technology, sources within the district administration said. An amount of Rs52 million has been set aside

Currently, there are 29 fish processing units across the Pakistan where 10,000 tonnes of fish can be stored and processed. However, the share of the fisheries sector in the gross domestic product (GDP) of Pakistan in only one per cent.

This is despite Pakistan’s coastline having an abundance of fish. According to one estimate, the waters of Pakistan have four times the fish than the Indian Ocean.

According to a report on the sector, fish production in Pakistan was expected to reach 178,000 metric tonnes by 2026, up 1.4 percent from 162,000 metric tons in 2021.

Also read: ‘Work on Dadhocha Dam to commence soon’

Since 1965, the country's production has grown 0.7 percent annually. In 2021, Pakistan ranked 28th in fish production, after France which produced 162,000 metric tons. Indonesia, India and Vietnam ranked second, third, and fourth, respectively. However, while ranking 28th in production, Pakistan was ranked 50 among fish exporting countries in 2021.

Fisheries Deputy Director Hamid Mehmood Khan said a national fisheries policy would be announced to develop the fishing sector. He said that the sector would help reduce unemployment and create economic activity while increasing a healthier diet.

He said barren lands could be used for fish farms to meet the increasing demand for fish. He added that the biofloc fish farming would help introduce new breeds of fishes for aquaculture. Through this, more species of fishes can be available for fish farming while we can reduce the danger of declining breeds, he continued.

Biofloc is a modern concept of high density fish rearing in which fish are nurtured in a water tank, made of turbulane sheet. Under it, waste can be utilised for an improved feed for fish.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2023.