BAHAWALPUR: The Punjab government is striving to promote fish industry as a fish processing zone is being established in South Punjab with the cooperation of Fisheries Department.
This was stated by Punjab Fisheries Director General Dr Yaqoob, while addressing a seminar on “Fish Feed and Fish Feeding” at Fish Seed Hatchery Bahawalpur.
South Punjab has made the centre for the fisheries. In Rajanpur, Asia’s biggest Fish Seed Hatchery is being established on which developmental work is in progress while in Muzaffargarh a big hatchery is being established for the salt water fishes while in Derawar hundreds of private fish farms have been established, he said.
He said that phase-wise program of providing training for the fish farmers at their farmhouses was underway. He said that in Derawar, private fish farms were established on 500 acre of land which will help promote fisheries, he added. Free facility of modern laboratory has been provided for the fish farms mud and water analysis along with the fish related diseases eradication, he said, and added that from the facility, the South Punjab’s fish farms are benefiting. Landlords are also provided with literature and advice regarding the establishing of fish farms, he said.
He noted that in the department of Eco Culture, production can be improved by adapting new ideas and modern technology. He said that throughout the world, 158 million ton fish is being produced naturally in fish farms from which 136 million ton fish is used as food while more than 66 million ton fish is produced through fish farming which is half of the total production.
