A large hatchery in Lahore is being made: Dr. Muhammad Ayub

Lahore: Director General Fisheries Punjab Dr. Muhammad Ayub said that in order to meet growing demand of fish seed in the province, a large hatchery in Lahore and five new nurseries in various districts of the province are being made with the cost of 467 million rupees where a number of fish seed production could be made possible. He said that main objective of the project is to deliver better fish seed and extension services to the fish farmers for the promotion of fisheries sector.

He disclosed this while talking to mediamen who called on him in his office, here today. He told that a large hatchery is being established in Lahore at Bhaseen on 60 acres of land with a cost of 254 million rupees whereas five nurseries consisting on 6 acres each in Pakpattan, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal, Chiniot and Nankana Sahib with a cost of 197 million rupees and 16 million rupees will be spent on office management. He said that through establishment of large fish seed hatchery and nursery units in five districts, production of additional three million quality fish seed of culturable fish species could be made possible as well as problems of fish farmers would also be addressed as these districts are lacking this facility.

Dr. Muhammad Ayub said that for the growth of fish in fish farming sector, besides Cage culture and Race Way Culture, Bio Floc Technology, Pro Biotics Technology and Genetically Modified Organism is being used worldwide for the rapid growth in production of fish. DG Fisheries said through Intensive Fish Seed Rearing, baby fish could be produced at small places and in this regard experts and professionals of Fisheries Department made successful experiments in Mian Channu and Faisalabad.

He said that in order to make aquaculture a state-of-the-art, sub-agency of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s technical cooperation for good aquaculture practices are being introduced to improve and promote fish farming sector to garner quality production.