The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources vision to boost inshore fisheries activities in the country looks promising following the recent completion of a Laboratory and Hatchery facility at Aruligo in North West Guadalcanal.
This was highlighted in Parliament today (Dec 1) by the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Nestor Ghiro when contributing to the motion of sine die.
Ghiro said his Ministry is conscious of how best they can offer entrepreneurial opportunities to people in our communities, where the tilapia hatchery and grow-out centre will address.
Once completed, tilapia farmers around the country will have access to juvenile fish that they can farm and sell.
“We have completed phase one of the project that included the construction of an office and laboratory building and hatchery tanks and fencing of the project site. Construction of grow-out ponds will be our next piece of work to be undertaken,” Ghiro said.
Importation of Nile Tilapia species will be made once the facility is ready anytime soon.
In the meantime, all importation protocols have been developed with the National biosecurity team at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
Minister Ghiro also highlighted other ongoing development projects in the Ministry that includes a beche-de-mer hatchery and grow-out project, a seaweed project and the deployment of fish aggregate devices (FADs).
Currently, a sea cucumber project team continues to conduct grow-out trials in two selected sites in Marau in Guadalcanal and Buena Vista in the Central Islands Province.
These projects will continue under the government’s policy redirection initiative next year.
ENDS///
Media Release from Government Communication Unit