Since it was introduced in the 1970s,ย Aquaculture (Fish Farming )remains a largely subsistence activity in Sierra Leone, providing much needed protein to significantly large numbers of rural households and constitutes an important component of the country’s foodย security drive.
Although the pace at which it is developing in the country is noticeably slow as a result of the decade-long rebel war, coupled with other challenges undermining itsย ย contribution to food security and sustainable livelihoods such as restrictions in terms of funding, distribution, number and pond size, the practice arguably has vast potential.
Its potential for food security, employment and household income generation still remains to be sustainably exploited.
It is against this backdrop that the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources has vowed to boost the practice through the use of sustainable innovative measures in collaboration with other development partners.
At the newly rehabilitated Fish Farming Experimental Station in Bo, over the weekend, a team comprising technical staff of the ministry and other development partners, led by the Acting Director of Fisheries, Sheku Sei,ย started the process of CARTFISH INDUCED BREEDING PROTOCOL, under the ministry’s National Fingerling Production Programme, supported by GOSL, UNDP and China.
Speaking during the exercise, the Acting Director of Fisheiries, said the objective of the programme is to produce millions of fingerlings annually for disrtibutionย to smallholder Commercialย Fish Farmers.
The initiative he added, will also help revolutionise fingerlings production through the development of a cohort of Broodstock (Adult Fish) for breeding, reduce bottlenecks, increase domestic fish production and access to fish feedย in the country.
He xpressed, government’s desire to encourage private sector involvement in the Aquaculture sector, indicating that the ministry is currently working with other development partners to develop bigger bankable projects that would promote government’s Feed Salone/ Poverty Reductionย programmes.
He disclosed plans to replicate the exercise at the Makali Experimental Fish Farming Station in Tonkolili district to enhance the programme.
A representative from an International NGO, the Continental Food Action and Aquatic Centre,ย Golbert Tembo, spoke of Sierra Leone’s vast potentialย in Acquaculture development and highlifhted some challenges facing the sector including high cost of fish feed and poor climate conditions.
He expressed their profound desire to produce high quality fish feeds at Gbangbama in Moyamba district.
The exercise ended with a visit to MMC Fish Farm at Gelehun, Bo district, supported by the ministry of fisheries and marine resources.
