Open Day at Chaudhary Fish Farm, Lahore

A team comprising of Mr. Faisal Iftikhar, CEO, Fisheries Development Board and Mr. Muhammad Junaid Wattoo Company Secretary, Fisheries Development Board visited Chaudhary Nabeel Fish Farm in Jajja Kalan near Saraay Mughal, Baloki, Lahore on Sunday, 25th December, 2011. An open day was organized by Fisheries Development Board in association with Ch Nabeel Akhtar, the owner of the Farm along with Punjab Fisheries Department and other stakeholders. A large number of fish farmers across the Punjab province, including from District Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Muzafargarh, Bahawalnagar, Lahore and Kasour participated in the event and witnessed the fish harvesting at the occasion. Every farmer was astonished to see the bumper production of 3.5 ton of fish from unit area of one acre. Fisheries Development Board is promoting the culture of high value fish species in farming system of Pakistan. FDB imported fish seed of Tilapia nolitica and Pangasius fish species during the year 2009 and 2010 and distributed at various farms in public and private sector in Punjab province of Pakistan. On harvesting of the fish from selected ponds, promising results were obtained at private fish farms. The same fish species was imported and introduced at the Ch. Nabeel Akhtar, a progressive fish and poultry farmer. The farmer has its own feed producing facility for the poultry and he formulated pelleted fish feed from the same facility under supervision of Dr. Zulfaqar Ali and Dr. Talat Pasha of University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore. The detail of trial during last year in one acre pond is given below: “About 6300 Tilapia spp. seed (Hybrid monosex Tilapia) and around 2000 Pangasius spp. (Pangasius hypophthalmus) seed were stocked on 15 June and 25 July respectively in one acre fish pond. The fish were fed by farmer’s own factory prepared feed at the rate of 10% body weight in the beginning and at 2% body weight at the end. After harvesting the final weight and rate of the fish were “Tilapia spp. average weight 600 gm (rage from 450 to 800 gm) sold at rate of Rs. 150-200 per kg and Pangasius spp. average weight 400 gm (range from 200 to 700 gm) sold at the rate of Rs. 180-200 per kg. The trial showed good results and about 3.5 to 4 ton fish production was achieved from one acre pond. The growth of Tilapia was better than the Pangasius species due to difference in weather preference and growth period of both species. /br

Keeping in view the good experience and promising results of the previous year, the farmers imported about 100,000 fish seed of mono sex tilapia during the month of May this year and stocked in nursery ponds. During the July, he stocked the fish (of size about 30 grams) in 10 rearing ponds at the rate of 7000 per acre and fed the fish with feed produced at his own feed production facility. On the test harvest during December, the fish size is ranging from 450 gram to 650 gram and about 3.5 ton per acre fish harvest is expected from the all fish ponds. The final results will be compiled on complete harvest of all ponds. The farmer told that the fish behavior during the growth trial was very good and there was no need of oxygenation or water replenishment for water quality. The fish is much adoptive to the local weather conditions. The only concern was the non availability of fish seed in local market and the same is being imported from Thailand which delays the growth trails and hence low weight gain at the end of trial. The experience of Ch. Nabeel Akhtar for Tilapia production is unique in the history of Pakistan where mostly Carp species including Rohu, Mori, Thaila, Silver and Grass carps are being cultured in fish farms with an average production of one ton per acre. The production of 3.5 to 4 ton Tilapia per acre is much higher than the average fish production of Pakistan and can bring a sudden revolution in fish farming industry of Pakistan. The participant farmers across the Punjab province witnessed the fish harvest at chaudhary fish farm and listen the success story by Ch. Nabeel Akhatr. They were surprised to see such a good harvest and everyone was interested in such farming practices. The farmers were eager to know the minor detail of this trial, and asked various questions as the source and price of fish seed, fish feed and marketing channels for the disbursement of tilapia.

Mr. Faisal Iftikhar and Mr. Junaid Wattoo briefed the participants regarding ongoing activities and future plans of Fisheries Development Board and told that Fisheries Development Board is vigorously perusing the introduction of high value fish species in Aquaculture system of Pakistan for which a plan is underway to import 500,000 Tilapia and Pangasius fish species in Pakistan for the next fish growth season and the same will be provided to interested fish farmer on no profit basis. Further, Fisheries Development Board is planning to establish some Tilapia fish hatcheries in partnership with private fish farmers in Sindh and Punjab for easy availability of tilapia seed in Pakistan. Fisheries Development Board is also planning to established a fish feed plant in the country for which funding is being sourced at various levels. CEO, Fisheries Development Board promised the fish farmers for provision of subsidized fish feed for promotion of tilapia culture in Pakistan. The participants returned to their homes with high hopes for brighter future of fish farming industry of Pakistan and they were wishing that efforts of Fisheries Development Board should have been successful for promotion of fisheries and aquaculture sector in Pakistan.