Aquaculture visits at farms

WINDHOEK – A high-level delegation of the Directorate of Aquaculture in the Fisheries Ministry is scheduled to take a familiarisation tour to the Hardap and Karas Regions to inspect progress made in the sector.

Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms, including fish, molluscs, crustaceans and aquatic plants in freshwater bodies and in the sea. Speaking to Nampa yesterday, the Director of Aquaculture, Eckhard Klingelhoeffer, explained that the five-day tour would include follow-up visits to fish farms and also to determine the condition of fish fingerlings delivered at some farms in April this year.”The programme scheduled for today will include meetings with the Governor of Hardap Region, Katrina Hansen and staff of the ministry at Hardap Dam.Site visits would include Voigtsgrund on the way to Maltahoehe, Vaal Dam near Mariental, Ganigobis near Tses and also Berseba,” he said.Tomorrow’s programme would include a meeting with the Governor of Karas Region, Dawid Boois, as well as follow-up visits to Itsiwasis, Van Rhyn Dam near Keetmanshoop and a fountain in the same town, according to Klingelhoeffer.The programme of Thursday would include follow-up site visits to the community at Khosis south of the village of Bethanie as well as a potential site in Luederitz for aquaculture zoning.On Friday, meetings are scheduled with new licence holders and visits to three fish farms are planned.According to Government’s Aquaculture Strategic Plan, the rapidly growing domestic and international demand for fish offers great opportunities to Namibia.The plan says aquaculture would create jobs in the industrial sector including new and traditional spin-off industries that support aquaculture and seafood manufacturing.A conservative estimate for the development of the industry is one that grows in value from the current N$20 million to N$250 million in 2009 with direct employment expanding from the current 422 people to 1 640 in 2009.-NampaSpeaking to Nampa yesterday, the Director of Aquaculture, Eckhard Klingelhoeffer, explained that the five-day tour would include follow-up visits to fish farms and also to determine the condition of fish fingerlings delivered at some farms in April this year.”The programme scheduled for today will include meetings with the Governor of Hardap Region, Katrina Hansen and staff of the ministry at Hardap Dam.Site visits would include Voigtsgrund on the way to Maltahoehe, Vaal Dam near Mariental, Ganigobis near Tses and also Berseba,” he said.Tomorrow’s programme would include a meeting with the Governor of Karas Region, Dawid Boois, as well as follow-up visits to Itsiwasis, Van Rhyn Dam near Keetmanshoop and a fountain in the same town, according to Klingelhoeffer.The programme of Thursday would include follow-up site visits to the community at Khosis south of the village of Bethanie as well as a potential site in Luederitz for aquaculture zoning.On Friday, meetings are scheduled with new licence holders and visits to three fish farms are planned.According to Government’s Aquaculture Strategic Plan, the rapidly growing domestic and international demand for fish offers great opportunities to Namibia.The plan says aquaculture would create jobs in the industrial sector including new and traditional spin-off industries that support aquaculture and seafood manufacturing.A conservative estimate for the development of the industry is one that grows in value from the current N$20 million to N$250 million in 2009 with direct employment expanding from the current 422 people to 1 640 in 2009.-Nampa