Expert calls for increased fish WroK\ction

AN aquaculture expert has called for increased production to overcome the rising deficit of fish in the country especially the common species of tilapia commonly known as bream.

Principal Aquaculture Research 2fficer 3atience &hungu said fish farmers should also venture into aTuaponics, which also covers high demand for organic vegetables on the market.

ATuaponics is a system of aTuaculture in which waste produced by farmed fish or water aquatic creatures supplies nutrients for plants which in turn purify the water.

0s &hungu, who is based at the 1ational ATuaculture 5esearch and 'evelopment &entre at 0wekera in .itwe, said aTuaponics would help in covering the deficit of the common fish in the country which is the Tilapia, popularly known as %ream.

6he was speaking at a stakeholders meeting on the piloting of an aTuaponics proMect in .itwe.

0s &hungu said there was need to ma[imise the resources of the nation because fish tolerates diverse water conditions of the country and grows fast.

And Aquaculture Researcher 2liver 6iluube said about . , would be reTuired to develop the planned .itwe aTuaponics centre.

'r 6iluube said the aTuaponics would help in increasing fish supply especially during the fish ban.

At the same function, .itwe 0ayor &hristopher .ang ombe urged farmers and other stakeholders to take advantage of the fish deficit to develop more advanced forms of fish farming.

0r .ang ombe said .itwe &ity &ouncil was positioning itself for massive investment in fish farming and land would be identified for setting up fish and vegetable farming.

He said stakeholders must be ready to take up the opportunity that fish farming holds as an empowerment venture.

0r .ang ombe said he would avail . , this week for setting up a model at the council to demonstrate how fish and vegetable farming could be done at a micro level.