The Ministry of Agriculture is augmenting its thriving Aquaculture Diversification Programme with more research in feed trials and other methods of fish cultivation including cage culture fish rearing, with the aim of inviting farmers in far-flung locations to participate in the programme.
Cage culture fish rearing utilises structures which are resistant to rust, a press release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said.
“This method is more essential for farmers in hinterland communities and where our equipment cannot access to dig ponds for the rearing of the fishes…this way they can rear the fishes in cages,” Raulston Gillette, an Extension Officer in the Fisheries Department at the ministry told GINA.
According to GINA, government has invested heavily in aquaculture farms including in providing fingerlings for local consumption and for export. Last year the Satyadeow Sawh Aquaculure Station at Mon Repos produced over 86,000 fingerlings while in 2008 it produced 20,000; in 2009, 85,872 and in 2010, 74, 950. Gillette said the sector has advanced as it has benefited from modern techniques and research. “Aquaculture which has been expanding significantly, has seen the aquaculture station producing thousands of fingerlings for farmers countrywide at a reduce cost of $14 per fish…this investment has seen hundreds of farmers entering into the trade and tapping into the export market opportunities that exist,” he said.
Commercially aquaculture is being practiced on a large scale, though it is still viewed as a new and emerging sub-sector which has the capacity to become a leading export earner. Rigorous research continues to be done at the Aquaculture Station, including on the development of feed trials, methods for fish cultivation and techniques which can be applied to hinterland and coastal fish cultivation.
“We also provide extension services and training to farmers countrywide, upon their request and well as oxygen and Ph water testing, as water quality maintenance remains an important component which rearing fishes,” he said. “Water management is essential as chemical buildup in fish ponds, can be toxic to fingerlings,” GINA noted, adding that Gillette encouraged farmers to monitor the oxygen levels in ponds as a reduction in oxygen can result in a drop in production.
According to GINA, tremendous investments continue to be made in the sector since the US$1M aquaculture diversification programme started in 2010. Farmers were also trained to cultivate fish through this methodology under a $20M collaborative venture between the Governments of Guyana and Brazil. There are about 75 aquaculture farms countrywide.
