Experts at a workshop have stressed for producing quality fish seed by practicing improved management system and following genetic principles in the hatcheries for enhancing annual fish production in the country.
They mentioned that adoption of the latest technologies using quality fish seed in the different fish production system would definitely increase production to meet protein demand of the growing population side by side improving socioeconomic condition of the rural people.
They were addressing the daylong consultation workshop on ‘Fish seed improvement initiatives’ organised by WorldFish under the USAID- funded Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia in Bangladesh (CSISA-BD) Project at Hotel Caspia conference room here on Thursday.
Divisional Deputy Director of Department of Fisheries (DoF) M Rokib Uddin Bisaws attended the workshop as the chief guest while Country Director of WorldFish in Bangladesh and South Asia Dr Craig Meisner was present as the special guest.
Senior Scientist of WorldFish Dr Benoy Kumar Barman and Fish Scientist CSISA-BD Project of WorldFish Dr M Nahiduzzaman jointly delivered keynote presentation on ‘Fish seed quality improvement initiatives undertaken by CSISA-WorldFish: Outlook and Prospects’ in Rangpur Hub Areas of the CSISA-BD Project.
District Fisheries Officer of Lalmonirhat Dr M Abul Hasanat and Associate Professor and Chairman of the Department of Fisheries Biology and Genetics of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University Dr Imran Parvez jointly delivered technical paper on ‘Fish seed quality, inbreeding and applied genetics behind different brood improvement initiatives and technology’.
District Fisheries Officer for Rangpur Ms Raoshon Ara delivered her presentation on ‘Fish Hatchery Act and Certification: Compliance issues’.
The experts said fish hatcheries can play important role to enhance fish production as the farmers do not always get expected production due to use of poor quality fish seed to become discouraged to invest in the aquaculture sector.
In his speech, WorldFish Country Director Dr Craig said that ensured use of quality fish seed can alone increase 25 to 30 percent fish production in country.
He said, “Fish seed quality always equals profit” and added that good hatcheries need branding and stressed for having a forum of the hatchery owners like-hatchery association that can be effective for many compliance issues of the hatcheries.
In his presentation, Dr Benoy suggested various ways and technologies for supplying quality broods, inputs, improved Germplasm of carp and tilapia, creating breeding nucleus, capacity building on hatchery management, database development for producing quality fish seed and making the business profitable.
He informed that a ‘Tilapia Breeding Nucleus-TBN’ has established in Shandhi Aqua Farm at Rangpur with assistance of WorldFish and the TBN can fulfill the demand of quality tilapia brood and quality tilapia seed in this region.
Improving quality fish seed issues is now considered one of national priorities in Bangladesh for achieving fish production target of 3.9 million metric tons in 2020-21, he added.
Thirty five hatchery owners, experts and scientists of Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) and Rural Development Academy (RDA), CSISA- WorldFish Bangladesh and DoF and other departments, representatives of partner NGOs and journalists participated.
