The NWFP Fisheries Department has taken a number of steps for sustained development of fisheries in the NWFP and Fata through involving private investment in the sector.
The department is working on implementation of a comprehensive strategy named as 'Vision 2011', chalked out with the objective of obtaining sustained development of fisheries in the province, informed Director Fisheries Omer Hayat Khan, while talking to APP here on Tuesday.
"We have launched a project out of the 14 included in Vision 2011," he informed and added that the project is named as 'Development of Trout Culture as Cottage industry in NWFP.'
Presently, he said, "the department is concentrating on exploiting the potential of trout fish by improving its production and making arrangements for export abroad."
The provincial government, he continued has also focused on development of trout fish, which has great potential if arrangements are made for its proper export.
Omer Hayat said: "The department is making arrangements for conducting survey for private investment in trout fish."
If the production of trout fish was increased and measures were taken for its export, the country would earn a good amount of foreign exchange, besides a handsome profit by the fish farm owners, he observed.
The province has a lot of resources in regard with production of trout fish, because, he continued, 'trout is a cold water fish and there are a lot of cold water bodies in the province which can be used for its production.'
The department, he continued, "is also working on development of fisheries on small dams being constructed in the province and Fata." Fish developed in these dams would be auctioned after two years.
Private investment would be encouraged in the sector for development of fisheries in the province.
MAJOR POTENTIAL: Major potential for increasing fish production lies in practising fish farming on commercial scale. In this regard, he continued, the Fisheries Department had already signed a memorandum of understanding with Bank of Khyber for extending loans for fish farming on easy conditions.
The department also established a recreational pond at Sherabad Fish Hatchery and Training Centre for promoting fish farming in private sectors.
The idea behind setting up of recreation pond is to provide fish hunting facility to people and promote fish farming in private sector and its production in the province, he added.
PRODUCTION: About fish production in the NWFP, he said, it has been increased by 258 tons during the last three years. "Production of fish is showing a persistent increase from the last few years," he added.
Omer Hayat said his department was also working for rehabilitation of Mahasheer, an important food and game fish whose population in natural water is declining rapidly.
In this regard, he added, a hatchery has been established at Chakdara (Malakand Agency) to produce 100,000 fish seed for replenishment of natural waters.
Experts of Nepal were also guiding fisheries development on conservation of Mahasheer.
The official said: "The mandate of the department is to enhance fish production and ensure the availability of this protein-rich food item at economical rates."
For achieving this goal, he continued, the department was undertaking a number of schemes for promotion, development, conservation and management of natural fisheries resources.
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