The Ministry of Fisheries in Fiji is taking an initiative focusing on promoting aquaculture in rural areas under the new ‘Minister’s Program’.
This has been highlighted by the Minister, Kalaveti Ravu, while leading a team from the Naduruloulou Fisheries Research Station to harvest Tilapai in Nairukuruku, Naitasiri, over the weekend.
Ravu says that the farm, which is owned by Josua Qaduadua, is one of the first demonstrations of the partial harvest and sale of tilapia from aquaculture ponds under the Program.
“I just want to send the message to people in our rural communities that there is a possibility of bringing the aquaculture program into various places that are located far away from the sea so that they can also have access to breeding and buying fresh fish.”
Ravu adds there are abundance of resources that farmers can tap into in commercial programs which the Ministry is looking forward to assisting.
The team was able to harvest 132 tilapia, and each fish weighed an average of 417 grams. It was sold at $8 per kilogram to the villagers.