Ras Hayyan aquaculture centre production up by 70%: Bahrain Minister
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
The National Aquaculture Centre in Ras Hayyan is now functioning with a 70% increased capacity, Works Minister said, with all its available ponds operating at maximum capacity.
“The centre’s hatchery is now working at 100% capacity to produce larvae of sobriety, fingerlings and groupers,” said Essam Khalaf, the Minister of Works, Municipality Affairs and Urban planning. The project, a strategic partnership between the ministry and the oil and gas authority, aims at raising the production of larvae and fingerlings of commercial fish species to five million annually.
The partnership had also contributed to the production of live food to be used as natural food for fish larvae and about 3 million citrus prawns daily.
Bahrain, the minister said, is in partnership with the Taiwan Authority for International Cooperation to produce new species such as Mead and Barley in the current farming season. During a field visit to Ras Hayyan, Khalaf said the ministry is working to attract private sector investment to boost fish production.
The Undersecretary for Agriculture and Marine Resources, Dr Nabil Muhammad Abu Al-Fateh, the advisor at the National Oil and Gas Authority, Director of the Fish Farming Project, Hussein Jaafar Makki, and ministry officials were present.
The ministry, Khalaf said, is also expanding partnerships with the relevant authorities to train citizens on Aquaculture techniques. “We are in the process of establishing a company in cooperation with the National Oil and Gas Authority in the field of fish farming,” said Dr Al-Fateh, the Undersecretary.
He said the ministry is also studying other proposed sites to establish farms. “We are also working to introduce more people into the sector and boost feed research to enhance the fish farming sector,” said Dr AlFateh.
The Khamis area is open for investment in floating cages, which would boost the production of fingerlings. “A seawater pumping station and sterilisation unit to filter water using sand filers are also operational to support the facility,” said the minister.
“We are working to provide an appropriate investment environment by providing technical advice to help local companies launch their projects in the farms of the National Aquaculture Centre in Ras Hayyan.” Five plots are ready in the Ras Hayyan for companies to raise fingerlings, as part of the first phase, said the undersecretary.
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