Govt to set up long-term aquaculture projects

THE Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources will embark on long-term inland aquaculture projects in the regions.

The Ministry has been undertaking projects in the Caprivi and Okavango regions and is ready to set up similar pilot projects in the other regions. The community projects in those areas are focussing mainly on tilapia.However, the Director of Aquaculture in the Ministry, Dr Ekkehird Klingelhoffer, said the projects were severely affected by the recent floods in the Caprivi.But despite the drawback the projects had not been derailed.Briefing Minister Abraham Iyambo, the newly-appointed Aquaculture Advisory Council and journalists, Klingelhoffer said the main focus on the coast – Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Luderitz – were the mariculture projects, which include oyster farms, which were generating a revenue of N$6 million a year and also currently employing some 100 workers.Klingelhoffer also gave details about the Hardap Dam projects, the abalone project in Luderitz and Swakopmund, and the inland Aquaculture Project at Omahenene/Onavivi Centre in the Omusati Region, which aims at providing tilapia and catfish fingerlings to prospective small scale fish farmers.He also said an inland fisheries institute – mainly for research – which would cater for the whole country, was to established and would employ 200 initial staff members.Klingelhoffer explained that there was urgent need for laboratories and centres to deal with disease and quality control.He said there was interest from communities in the projects as demonstrated in Okashana, where there was a tilapia project in the brackish waters found there.On the licence issue, Klingelhoffer said in 2003 17 licences were issued and that so far in 2004 six had been issued with 10 pending, adding that they were looking at ways of simplifying the process.The Government believes that aquaculture projects should be promoted in order to contribute to the country’s goal of food security and food self-sufficiency.However, stakeholders say there is a need to build capacity, research and identify areas of aquaculture development in the country.The community projects in those areas are focussing mainly on tilapia.However, the Director of Aquaculture in the Ministry, Dr Ekkehird Klingelhoffer, said the projects were severely affected by the recent floods in the Caprivi.But despite the drawback the projects had not been derailed.Briefing Minister Abraham Iyambo, the newly-appointed Aquaculture Advisory Council and journalists, Klingelhoffer said the main focus on the coast – Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Luderitz – were the mariculture projects, which include oyster farms, which were generating a revenue of N$6 million a year and also currently employing some 100 workers.Klingelhoffer also gave details about the Hardap Dam projects, the abalone project in Luderitz and Swakopmund, and the inland Aquaculture Project at Omahenene/Onavivi Centre in the Omusati Region, which aims at providing tilapia and catfish fingerlings to prospective small scale fish farmers.He also said an inland fisheries institute – mainly for research – which would cater for the whole country, was to established and would employ 200 initial staff members.Klingelhoffer explained that there was urgent need for laboratories and centres to deal with disease and quality control.He said there was interest from communities in the projects as demonstrated in Okashana, where there was a tilapia project in the brackish waters found there.On the licence issue, Klingelhoffer said in 2003 17 licences were issued and that so far in 2004 six had been issued with 10 pending, adding that they were looking at ways of simplifying the process. The Government believes that aquaculture projects should be promoted in order to contribute to the country’s goal of food security and food self-sufficiency.However, stakeholders say there is a need to build capacity, research and identify areas of aquaculture development in the country.