Need stressed to develop shrimp farming sector

A one-day seminar on “Shrimp Farming Prospect in Pakistan” was organised by the University of Karachi (KU) in the council room of the office of the Dean Faculty of Science under the auspices of the Marine Reference Collection & Resource Centre (MRCRC) and the Fisheries Research Institute, Karachi (PFRI).

Dr Hani Baig of PFRI, Dr Juancho Van Lavilla, a Shrimp Hatchery Specialist, and Dr Claro L. Melicano, Phycologist/Algae Production expert from Philippines, who are visiting the PFRI to provide training to our scientists and fisheries farmers on Shrimp Aquaculture, gave comprehensive presentations.

Addressing the seminar, participants from various departments and institutions of Karachi University, Prof. Dr Shahana Urooj Kazmi, Dean Faculty of Science, who presided over the seminar, emphasised the need to promote fisheries and shrimp aquaculture in Pakistan to increase the contribution of this sector in agricultural GDP, which is currently only one per cent.

She further said that since Pakistan had launched its shrimp aquaculture activities late, the country should try to learn from the experiences of others such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and others who were losing billions of dollars due to pollution - leading to diseases of fish and shrimps.

The country, she said, should try to maintain high level of sanitary and phytosanitary conditions by establishing state of the art microbiological and toxicological evaluation facilities to meet the WTO requirements to tap new markets for increasing foreign exchange earnings.

She appreciated the contributions of PFRI and KU marine scientists in producing trained manpower by undertaking excellent research projects to help the fisheries industry.

Dr Hani Baig gave a brief overview on the potential of shrimp aquaculture in Sindh. He discussed in detail the various problems, requirements and benefits of shrimp farming and the place and position of Pakistan in the field.

Dr Lavilla gave a detailed description of the management of shrimp hatchery, which is a special place where controlled breeding and larval/post-larval rearing is done. Mass production of shrimp seeds is done in this facility under a controlled environment.

This is the facility that can provide the required number of fry, which grow out and fulfil farm needs. The hatchery system is designed to suit the optimal conditions required for shrimp breeding, larval rearing and fry production. He further said that shrimp aquaculture cannot be successful without its most vital component, which is the hatchery, which should provide an ideal environment to produce healthy fry needed by the farmers.

Dr Melicano talked about the basic algal production technology. Algae are the basic baby food for the developing larvae and an important component for successful shrimp culture. According to him, the algae is main natural food during the early stages of shrimp larvae.

One of the main species is Chaetoceros Calcitran that can be produced in the laboratory as well as in natural ponds. This algae is also available in Pakistan.

The experts from Philippines gave a number of suggestions in response to loads of questions by the participants, including students and staff of the various departments of University of Karachi, Zoology, Centre of Excellence in Marine Biology, Institute of Marine Sciences, Department of Botany, Sindh Fisheries Department, Government of Pakistan and Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) and SARC/PARC.

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Need stressed to develop shrimp farming sector