Aquaculture world's fastest growing food-producing sector: expert

Aquaculture has been the world's fastest growing food-producing sector with an overall growth rate of 11% since 1984. This sector can make an important contribution to poverty alleviation, food security and social well-being, and already does so in many developing countries (Mwangi, 2008). Currently, many agriculturalists strongly believe that we are entering a third revolution termed the 'Blue Revolution', that is, the aqua cultural revolution.
Talking to this scribe, Omar Hayat, an expert on aquaculture and environment said that fisheries and aquaculture make a significant contribution to food security and livelihoods of millions of people in the world. The production was estimated at 164 million tons in 2014, supplying around 20 kg/capita per year and 17 percent of global animal proteins and essential micronutrients (vitamins A, B and D, zinc, iodine, selenium, calcium and iron). Populations in LIFDCs, Africa and Asia rely even more on fish for their intake of animal proteins, for respectively 24.5 percent, 19.6 percent and 22.4 percent.
He said that Pakistan is bestowed with deep cold water river, streams with perennial springs in the mountainous regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. What may not be realized to planners that these areas are one of the remarkable fresh water resources supporting a world class trout fishery? These scenic areas have emerged as a recognized attraction for sport fisheries due to an abundance of wild trout in the cold, fertile streams. These areas with the development of quality roads and hotels in recent days have provided opportunities to anglers to angle in these pristine streams and lakes high quality fishing as a permanent attraction.
Visitors come to these areas to enjoy the weather with other outdoor activities, all add to green economy of these areas. These areas attract a loyal demographic of anglers and visitors who return year after year, and are bringing younger generation and family members with them. The entire economy of these regions is strengthened by returning anglers and their families and friends. The natural resource potential, wise investment is restoration and fishing access has enabled the communities in these regions to capture as sizable portion of those economic benefits.
As per information available on the subject trout angling and aquaculture is an economic growth engine in these remote rural areas of Pakistan, with some communities working diligently to realize the economic benefits of these features.
Anglers may use several different methods to fish for trout. Fly fishing was the most preferred method for trout fishing, but other methods including spin fishing with lures, live and artificial bait were reported. All methods have an effect on direct and indirect spending in the area. He said that the "Trout Economy" in northern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir can be further boosted through investment in State Trout Fish Hatcheries up gradation program. This will provide benefits from major construction projects in the rural communities where hatcheries are located.
The benefits derived from operation of these hatcheries and employment of staff. The travel and tourism benefits from visitations to these hatcheries, and most important of all, economic benefits of recreational fishing supported by these state fish hatcheries and in addition to development of Trout Aquaculture in the regions. The up gradation of trout hatcheries projects will have positive impact on the local rural economies of these regions. Funding capital improvement project at these facilities will provide opportunities to contractors, equipment suppliers and construction works thus providing benefits to the local economies.
The survey report Market demand Analysis of Trout Fish carried out by Firms Project funded by USAID reveal that the market demand in big cities of Pakistan ie Swat, Peshawar, Rawalpindi/ Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi is up to 584 metric tons and extrapolated demand is 2918 Metric tons. The demand of trout fish is too much and can generate foreign exchange for the country if the production is increased through Trout Fish Aquaculture intervention to any level in the remote rural areas.
Adherence to strict food safety protocols, and farm to market traceability for all the products are increasingly sought by international consumers. The basic requirement that is environment, water quality and quantity and human resource is available in the different regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The expert said that the production inputs of Trout Fish Seed, Trout Fish Feed is locally available in Pakistan as well production equipment are locally manufactured are available. Access to finance is the main issue as locals are reluctant to pay interest on the loan amount. This will provide support to poverty alleviation and food security to the rural population in the hilly remote rural area of the country. He said that SMEDA in collaboration with line departments in the country can play a pivotal role in development of value chain of trout fish in these areas.
Omar Hayat added that SMEDA can provide capacity building program on business model and support to access to finance. In this context UNIDO can play its role in collaboration with SMEDA and line department in getting certification process and supportive capacity building activities in the Trout Fish Value Chain.
The private sector can be mobilized by SMEDA in the region through appropriate interventions to provide enabling environment for the development of this industrial activities. He said that frozen trout fish has big potential in EU countries while value added products like fish fillets can be sold to western markets as well as fresh fish can be marketed to China.
The demand of trout fish is throughout the world markets. The main constraint of export is the production quantity which has not taken a leap forward in these remote rural areas. The increase of production will create employment in the forward and backward linkage of Trout Fish Industry providing employment to youth work force.