Good aquaculture practices vital for boosting export

In addition to ensuring safe fish and its production, a good aquaculture practice is very vital for boosting country's export list, speakers at a training session said yesterday.

They viewed there should be adequate measures to bring all the fish growers, traders, feed manufactures, sellers and others concerned under necessary training to enhance their awareness in this filed.

All quarters like fish farmers, hatchery owners, fish sellers, fish meal manufacturers and sellers and the field level fisheries officers and staff should work together to this end. There is no alternative to substantial and sustainable promotion of good aquaculture practice, they added.

The observations came at the inaugural session of a two-day training course titled "Good Aquaculture Practices" at Paba Upazila Agriculture Building in Rajshahi.

Bangladesh Aquaculture Alliance (BAA) organised the training in association with Bangladesh Economic Growth Project and Business Promotion Council under the Ministry of Commerce.

Divisional Deputy Director of the Directorate of Fisheries (DoF) Mahabub Ul Alam and District Fisheries Officer (DFO) of Rajshahi Golam Rabbani addressed the inaugural session with Shahed Ali, senior upazila fisheries officer of Paba, in the chair.

Mahabub Ul Alam said safe fish production and its marketing have become a big challenge at present.

To this end, emphasis should be given to safe fish farming besides promoting its production through the best use of hygienic fish feed alongside the existing natural resources.

In addition to the administrative measures, time has come to forge a social resistance against the manufacturing of adulterated and unhygienic fish meals, its marketing and use of formalin in fishes.

DFO Golam Rabbani said the traders can keep their fishes live for a good number of days if they adopt some simple techniques instead of using formalin.

He suggested providing the farmers with latest scientific technologies and knowledge for producing quality fish fries and fingerlings for more fish cultivation.

He called for involving more people in fish farming to meet the protein demand as fish fulfill at least 60 percent need of the animal protein especially of the poor and marginal communities.

More than 50 persons representing DoF, fish growers association, feed meal owners association, NGOs, teachers, religious leaders, media personnel and other stakeholders took part in the course.