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Elton Manguwo
FOLLOWING reports that fish farmers are facing serious challenges accessing fingerlings, which is promoting inbreeding, the Government has introduced a raft of measures and programmes to address the problem can stall the sector’s growth if not contained.
An expert with the Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources Production Department Mrs Lorraine Salimu said Henderson Fisheries Units, which falls under the research and regulatory services part of the department was implementing initiatives to help control the inbreeding problem and boost genetics.
“The Aquatic Species Genetic Resources Programme, which we are carrying out seeks to establish and evaluate existing genetic evaluation programmes of tilapia, catfish, and others,” said Mrs Salimu highlighting how the programme would bring quality in fingerlings produced and distributed to farmers.
In addition, the genetic selection programme is also exploring the possibility of storing genetic material and long-term safe guarding of genetic diversity (cryopreservation).
“Research is currently being undertaken to identify available protocols for relevant aquatic species,” said Mrs Salimu.
The department is also leading the conservation of indigenous species programme at Henderson Fisheries Unit.
“This strategy aims to isolate desirable genetic resources of indigenous species such as Oreochromis macrochir (green headed bream), Oreochromis mossambicus (mossambique bream) and Coptodon rendalli (red breasted bream),” said Mrs Salimu.
Exploratory research is also in the pipelines on genomic analysis and characterisation of indigenous fish species to ensure desirable traits are isolated and incorporated in fish farming.
“Isolated dams will be incorporated as multiplication sites for tried and tested fish with desirable traits for multiplication and will be made available to farmers,” said Mrs Salimu.
The programmes and researches will be effected by the department in collaboration with tertiary institutions.
The fish fingerlings will be multiplied, not only for national Government programmes such as the Presidential Community Fisheries scheme in which dams are stocked but also for other programmes such as the Fish for Schools programmes.
The developments come after farmers indicated that they had limited access to fingerlings, which is denting production in the country.
The fish industry follows a cycle that involves breeding, rearing and harvesting with breeding involving processes whose output are fingerlings and this processes is conducted by specialist fish production companies that supply their excess stock to other fish farmers who begin at the second stage of rearing.
According to the first round of the crop and livestock assessment report this recycling of genetics can result in inbreeding, loss of hybrid vigour and stunted growths and small-scale farmers in most provinces still have difficulty acquiring fingerlings from reputable breeders, as these are in Kariba and Bindura.
Zimbabwe has limited fisheries output despite the fact that the country has over 10 700 small, medium and large-sized dams most of which have conducive environments for intensive fish production. This presents the country with a huge potential for the development and expansion of the fisheries industry supported by these dams.
Online Reporter