LAHORE: The Punjab Fisheries Department is spending Rs632m to establish new hatcheries and nursery units to meet the growing demand of fish seed in the province.
Fisheries Director General Dr M Ayub, while talking to the state-owned news agency, said that the main objective of the project is to provide quality fish seed to the fish farmers. He said that a large hatchery was being established in Lahore at Bhaseen on 60 acres of land whereas five nursery units over six acres land each were being set up in Pakpattan, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal, Chiniot and Nankana Sahib.
He said that through establishment of a large fish seed hatchery, production of additional three million quality fish seed of ‘culturable fish’ species could be possible as well as problems of fish farmers would also be addressed.
Dr Ayub said that in order to fulfil fish seed requirements of the public and private sectors, barren lands would be utilized for the promotion of fisheries and in this regard a comprehensive plan has been devised with a cost of Rs 632.6 million.
He further said that under this project, a fish seed hatchery would be established in Rajanpur district with an annual production capacity of up to five million which will be supplied for natural waters in Dera Ghazi Khan division and fish farms set up in private sector. It will increase fish production up to 600 to 800 metric tons, he added.
