National Desk :
The breeding hatchery has created massive hopes of expanding freshwater shrimp farming commercially in the region, providing healthy hatchlings among the farmers.
For the first time, the state-owned hatchery produced around three lakh post-larvae and supplied those among the farmers in different districts under Rajshahi division last year successfully.
“We’re producing post-larvae and larvae in the hatchery and supplying those among the farmers for the second consecutive time this year,” said Dr Jinnat Ara Rokeya Chowdhury, manager of Fish Seed Multiplication Farm, reports BSS.
She said brine water was collected from the coastal belt in Cox’s Bazar in February last while 100 brood shrimps were collected in two phases from the Kocha River in Pirojpur district in April last. Subsequently, those were disinfected and nursed in brine water.
During the entire nursing period, bio-security is being maintained strictly as it’s very important for post-larvae production from the larval stage. Vice-Chancellor-in-Charge of Rajshahi University (RU) Prof Ananda Kumar Saha visited the hatchery to see the larvae and post-larvae producing activities on Monday afternoon.
He said the prospect of freshwater shrimp farming in a mixed culture method with some major carp fishes commercially is very bright in the region.
“We’re seeing a glittering prospect of shrimp farming with some major carps like Rui, katla and silver carp in the region,” said Prof Shaha, a senior-most teacher in the Department of Zoology of RU.
He clarified that both water and soil quality in the region including major parts of the Barind tract is suitable for prawn farming and that it will surely bring a diversity in the fish farming process.
There are enormous prospects of boosting farmers’ income, employment generation, poverty reduction and protein security through cherished expansion of shrimp farming in the region, Dr Saha added.
Dr Jinnat Ara Rokeya Chowdhury told BSS that fluctuation of temperature, bio-security, water hardness and disruption of power supply are the major challenges to substantial reduction of mortality rate.
Continuously, post larva will be produced here though bringing parents from the saline rivers every breeding season. Farmers can purchase healthy and quality hatchlings from here at a reasonable price. As a whole, the hatchery will contribute a lot towards fulfilling the farmers demand.
