Guidelines on aquaculture soon
The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development is developing a National Aquaculture Guidelines and Code of Practice to set minimum standards for operators in the aquaculture value chain and also prevent any possible negative impact of aquaculture on the environment .
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Part of the guidelines will include the minimum size of fish to be sold as fingerlings, minimum distances between farms to avoid spread of diseases and safeguard investment and also ensure minimum amount of dust or smaller particles to be contained in a fish feed.
The minister,Mr Nayon Bilijo, stressed that ‘in fact every aspect of fish farming would be comprehensively covered in the guidelines to help provide good, safe ,hygienic fish food for the populace’.
The Minister who was addressing the first Annual General Meeting of the Ghana Aquaculture Association (GAA) at Akosombo, therefore, appealed to operators in the fish farming industry to comply with the regulations of the implementing agencies.
He explained that destruction of water bodies by galamsey operators was of concern and, therefore, would not encourage fish farmers to disobey the rules.
Mr Bilijo announced that the implementing agencies include the Fisheries Commission which would set the standards required to make aquaculture sustainable while the Environmental Protection Agency would ensure that the aquaculture had no detrimental effect on the environment.
He commended them for forming a unified front to fight for their needs and called on them to continue to be together avoiding any splinter groups
Members appealed to the government to commit funds to develop marketing systems and structures for small and big producers of the industry .
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According to them, though the Ghana National Aquaculture Development Plan (GNADP) targets production of 100,000 metric tons of farmed fish per annum , yet the industry in Ghana was able to produce 30,000 metric tons which they were not able to sell .
The imported tilapia, according to the fish farmers were bigger in size and sold cheaply.
The Chairman of the Association , Mr Jacob Ainoo- Ansah, attributed the inability of members to sell their fish to the influx of an alleged cheap and seemingly bigger tilapia into the country .
He said ‘we are immediately concerned with illegal importation of fish into the country’.
Mr Ainoo-Ansah, therefore, called for support from the government to open up the industry to become competitive .
A major producer of fish feed , Raanan Fish Feed Limited organised a workshop for the fish farmers as part of the general meeting .
The Commercial Director and Aquaculture expert at the Raanan Fish Feed Producers , Mr Jacques Magnee, took members through fish farm management to achieve good quality fingerlings and how they could solve major challenges in the industry.
Mr Magnee advised the fish farmers to improve on performance to lower cost of production in order to be more competitive and rather increase production and benefits.