NAQDA to promote domestic level aquaculture exports

By Naalir Jamaldeen

The National Aquaculture Development Authority (NAQDA) plans to promote shrimp, sea cucumber and ornamental fish farming in domestic level targeting export market, NAQDA Chairman Jayantha Chandrasoma said in an interview with the Sunday Observer.

Rambodagalla Ornamental Fish farm

Fish harvest at Udawalawe reservoir

Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne releasing shrimps

Farming of these pieces will help improve the economic standard of rural community, Chandrasoma said.

Chandrasoma said that NAQDA did not fail to address the protein shortage problem remain in the estates. Compared to the people in other areas, estate workers consume very low protein per day. NAQDA has introduced aqua culture in the estate areas. Workers will get the ponds constructed in suitable places in the estate where they work. NAQDA will provide technical and financial assistance under the "Divi Neguma" program, Chandrasoma said. He expressed confidence that problems of estate workers can be minimised by a considerable level.

Chandrasoma said that this program has been implemented in estates with the support of the management of respective estates under the "Divi Neguma" program.

People who reside close to freshwater bodies can set up their own ponds in suitable places and NAQDA will provide all assistance under the Divi Neguma program. Chandrasoma said that compared to other regions protein consumption is very low in the estate areas. This system is becoming popular among the estate community. There are 130 such ponds in an estate in Nuwara-Eliya. Construction of 60 such ponds in an estate in Nawalapitiya have already been completed. The main objective to implement this program is to eliminate the malnutrition among the estate workers. Those who breed fish in ponds will be able to earn access income while receiving protein free of charge. NAQDA provides technical assistance to this program. Financial assistance is provided by NAQDA through the Economic Development Ministry.

Chandrasoma said that NAQDA conducts a pilot project for fattening of lobsters in Valaippadu, Jaffna with the assistance of Vietnam.

Moves are under way to produce sea-bass in Trincomalee. This is a large scale project and will be implemented by a private sector institution in the Trincomalee sea. All arrangements have been made to initiate this project within one month.

NAQDA also plans to breed mud crabs in suitable locations. There is a good demand for Sri Lanka mud crabs in foreign countries. The restaurants in Singapore have a separate menu of Sri Lankan mud crab. Breeding mud crabs is one of the main areas the NAQDA plans to draw attention in future. They also plan to breed Rainbow trout fish variety in cold water. During the colonial era British colonialists introduced this pieces in 1940 in the areas in the central hill country.

NAQDA has also paid considerable attention towards breeding eel fish, Chandrasoma said.

Following the success of the pilot project of cultivating oysters and muscles NAQDA plans to introduce the cultivation of these pieces in future, since there is a need to protect this variety from poaching, Chandrasoma said.

Shrimp farming is being expanded and popularised in the Eastern coastal belt. A large scale shrimp farm functions close to Vakarai with the assistance from NAQDA. People in the Batticaloa district have already started shrimp farming in suitable locations with the assistance from the technical experts of NAQDA.

He said that NAQDA has started training and awareness programs on good management practices and sustainable shrimp farming for shrimp farmers in the Batticaloa district. The Demonstration level shrimp farm is situated in the Air Force camp, Batticaloa which was developed built by NAQDA. demonstration shrimp farms managed by the Air Force Camp Batticaloa.

Chandrasoma said that NAQDA has deployed its officers across the country. They provide technical assistance, guidelines from time to shrimp farmers.

NAQDA implemented several programs to rehabilitate the shrimp farming industry in the North Western province which was affected by White Spot disease, he said.

Chandrasoma said that NAQDA operates a laboratory at Battuluoya to provide services in diagnosing diseases and maintain the healthy condition of shrimp farming. It has been planned to develop cluster based shrimp farming in the Batticaloa district and is becoming popular gradually. Shrimp hatchery established in Batticaloa by NAQDA is operated under public-private partnership.

Plans are afoot to popularise seaweed cultivation in the North with the assistance from the Vietnam Government. Already seaweed planting has commenced in Valaippadu Jaffna as a pilot project. Two leading companies have commenced farming sea weeds as a pilot project and in the process of expanding, he said.

Now they have completed the pilot project. Main project is to be commenced soon with the participation of community or people. Seaweeds, sea cucumber, ornamental fish are to be produced targeting the foreign market, he said.

NAQDA provides all assistance including technical assistance to improve ornamental fishery industry. Two ornamental fish breeding stations are functional in Rambodagalla and Ginigatthena. A tissue culture laboratory for Ornamental Aquatic Plant propagation is located in Rambodagalla. Ornamental fish farming will turn into a lucrative income earning mode for rural community. Even women can do ornamental fish farming alone while looking after their children. Rural people can immensely benefit from this program. This system is being expended targeting the rural community, Chandrasoma said.

There are two freshwater prawn bursaries in Kahandamodara and Pambala. Stocking of freshwater prawn in the reservoirs have gone up during the concluded couple of years. Stocking of freshwater prawn in reservoirs was 8.06 million in 2009 and increased to 15.54 million in 2012.

The income of fishermen from prawn have also gone up, according to Chandrasoma. NAQDA implemented pilot projects to introduce and expand non-traditional aqua farming. Already several community groups and entrepreneurs have commenced farming of sea cucumber in the Northern province, he said.

He said that seasonal fishing also takes importance. During rainy season from November-December people will store rainy water in small tanks and will stock fish in those tanks after 6 months they will start harvesting fish from those tanks.

The main focus of implementing these programs are to utilise the inland water bodies optimally to increase freshwater fish production for fish production. Providing self-employment is another intention of strengthening fresh water fishery industry.

The rural economy will also improve. The consumption of fish will also increase in the villages, Chandrasoma said.

There are different types of of water bodies in Sri Lanka such as freshwater, brackish water and salt water. Brackish water means the mixture of salt water and freshwater, he said.

He said that Sri Lanka is blessed with water resources. There are over 10,000 man made reservoirs and 103 rivers flowing across the country. These lakes are scattered throughout the dry zones across the country. There are fish breeding centres operated by the NAQDA Udawalawe, Dambulla, Inginiyagala and Nuwara-Eliya. We breed fish and stock in these reservoirs in order to increase the production and to improve the industry.

In addition to the Head Office in Pelawatta, Battaramulla the National Aquaculture Development Authority (NAQDA) has 10 aquaculture centres and 22 Regional Aquaculture Extension offices across the country.

The National Aquaculture Training Centre of NAQDA functions in Kalawewa and institute consists of 443 staff.