Caboni Hatchery to Boost Aquaculture Production, says Koroilavesau
Seafood and fisheries have been the main source of food security and livelihood especially so for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Traditionally, people have hunted and collected seafood from the wild, relying on the natural productivity of our oceans to meet the increasing demand fueled by a growing population, regionally and internationally.
Researchers are indicating that global fisheries have reached capacity, with 77 per cent of global fish stocks at or above their sustainable limit.
And, in response to the declining availability of fish from the wild, there is now a massive expansion in the farming of fish and shellfish, including freshwater fish, collectively known as aquaculture.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says the development of the aquaculture industry has been so rapid that aquaculture is now the fastestgrowing food production sector in the world.
It says that more than half of all the fish and shellfish we now consume is produced through aquaculture.
It is predicted that aquaculture will provide up to 65 per cent of fish production by 2030. The main source of aquaculture-produced fish is currently from Asia.
However, Pacific SIDS also have a relatively long history of aquaculture, dating back to the 1970s.
Aquaculture contributes to food security and income generation and there is no doubt that the culturing of a variety of fish is becoming a priority in the Pacific region due largely to overfishing and the ongoing effects and shocks to the supply chain caused by climate change, and more recently the COVID-19 pandemic.
Species such as tilapia and milkfish production are being promoted as a means to help meet the projected supply gap for fish in some countries and territories.
Pearls, seaweed, marine ornamentals, shrimps and finfish culture are successfully farmed as important cash crops, contributing significantly to livelihoods across the Pacific.
The advancements in technology have also opened new options supporting innovation and diversification that enable countries to be more resilient in a COVID-19 era.
Caboni Multi Species Hatchery
Recognising the importance of aquaculture, the Fijian Government has this year invested close to half a million dollars into the Ministry of Fisheries’ Multi Species Hatchery at Caboni in Ra.
“This is expected to boost aquaculture production in the country,” said the Minister for Fisheries Honourable Semi Koroilavesau, who resumed his field visitations last week immediately after the COVID-19 containment borders on Viti Levu were lifted.
The research center at Caboni currently cultures five species of fish including grouper, rabbit fish, milkfish, mullet, and shrimp.
The center aims to produce 800,000 shrimp post larvae for Fiji’s commercial shrimp farmers.
The species currently produced at the center is Penaeus vannamei which is commonly known as the Pacific White Shrimp or King Prawn.
Spawning shrimp successfully requires a wealth of knowledge especially of its many aspects from feeds, brood stock preparation, spawning procedures, egg collection to managing larval stages.
Through smart partnerships and support from development partners, a technical advisor from Taiwan has been based at Caboni to oversee and also assist the Ministry with shrimp production as well as research on the other four species of fish.
These fishes are known to be successfully farmed in other countries around the world, and the aim is to see if they can be farmed successfully under Fiji’s climatic conditions.
Minister Koroilavesau’s visit was to get a first-hand glimpse of the work that has been ongoing despite the travel restrictions.
“The main purpose of the visit was to be updated on the work being undertaken in Caboni which is a project that has been developed with the assistance of our development partners.
We had initiated plans initiated prior to the COVID-19 restrictions and I’m happy to see that these plans are now falling into place,” Mr Koroilavesau said.
“The developments include the construction of new concrete ponds and an additional outdoor hatchery.
“We are grateful to Dr Robert Chang who has provided much needed technical expertise and training for our staff.”
“The productions from the center have certainly increased the interest from farmers who are increasingly gaining confidence to undertake subsistence, semi commercial and fully commercial farming,” Mr Koroilavesau said.
“The research center at Caboni is a crucial component of the Government’s plans for the development of aquaculture in Fiji. I am pleased with the current progress in terms of the physical infrastructure and the production levels as we anticipate the re-opening of tourism and restaurants around the country.”
He said that Caboni has the capacity to produce 100,000 post larvae shrimps a month and the Ministry will work towards ensuring the consistency of production as Fiji returns to some form of normalcy.
Nine farmers have already been assisted with shrimp post larvae since the first cycle in August this year.
Mr Koroilavesau said the COVID-19 global pandemic has disrupted markets and supply chains for almost all primary industries around the world, including aquaculture. National food security needs and priorities have also changed.”
“Consumer demands are changing. We can work now with what we have and continue to grow from there. We need to remain resilient to meet the expectations of our people,” he added.
Mr Koroilavesau also visited aquaculture farmers in the Western Division who have kept operating amidst the pandemic.
The Minister’s visit also doubled up as a monitoring visit to check on the progress of farms that had received Government assistance through the Ministry’s food security programme.
Challenges and smart partnerships
The Ministry still faces challenges with the purchasing of farm inputs such as feed and equipment.
Like other Pacific Island countries, Fiji relies heavily on imported feed from commercial hatcheries and feed manufacturers in Asia.
Fiji also procures specialised farming equipment from abroad because of their non-availability in the country.
Mr Koroilavesau says that this is where smart partnerships are forged and he adds that our relations with our donor countries and partners could ease some of our challenges.
“We are grateful to our development partners who have assisted us over the years,” he said.
Future Plans
“The potential in the aquaculture sector is huge and given the growing interest from our communities, I am positive that more people will venture into aquaculture,” he said.
“The Ministry’s goal now is to successfully breed the five fish species at Caboni and once this is achieved, we can introduce other species. This will certainly boost aquaculture production in the country,” he said.
The Ministry also has plans to conduct on-the-farm training for people wishing to venture into aquaculture.
Mr Koroilavesau said that through the concerted efforts by Government, development partners and other stakeholders, aquaculture is bound to make an impact on Fiji’s food security, increased livelihoods and sustainable economic growth.
“Aquaculture in Fiji could help reduce imports, and even contribute to the increasing demand for fish regionally and globally,” he said.