– Satyadeow Sawh Aquaculture Station to be converted to a model farm

By Naomi Parris
THE Satyadeow Sawh Aquaculture Station will be transformed into a model farm to facilitate the reformation of local aquaculture industry, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, has announced.
The minister made the disclosure at a recent visit and tour of the facility which is located at Mon Repos, East Coast of Demerara. He said that resources will be provided to develop the station into a model farm that will meet the needs of the fishing industry.
Currently, many aquaculture farmers need assistance to extend their farms and they will receive the requisite help, said Minister Mustapha.
He wants the industry to contribute to Guyana’s agriculture output and is hoping that the support and the farming of particular species of fish will encourage more persons to get into aquaculture.

“Aquaculture farming has the potential to bring in a lot of revenue and many Caribbean countries and even North America and other places need these kinds of fish,” he said.
In the near future, the minister disclosed that he will develop a database of all the aquaculture farmers in Guyana and meet with them to discuss the policies that the ministry plans to implement for the industry.

Meanwhile, Fisheries Officer, Nakita Dookie, who conducted the tour, explained that the facility provides fingerlings and extension services to farmers.
In addition, persons at the station also conduct training and research as well as visits to farms or potential farms to provide guidance on site selection, pond management and construction and species selection.

She disclosed that the facility is currently researching inland species which can potentially be farmed as aquaculture species.
“Presently, we have on the farm, Arapaima; we have Patwa that we are looking at as one of those potential species, the Red and Nile tilapia and the Tambaqui,” she said.
While the Arapaima is currently endangered in Guyana, Dookie believes that farming the species can have a positive impact.

“Moving it from an endangered and protected species to one that can be a farmed species will actually relieve the pressure in the wild. So, persons will not have the inclination to go out there and harvest the wild Arapaima when it is being farmed and readily available for purchase. I’m hoping that’s the result of that. It’s an opportunity for us to repopulate the wild with the fingerlings,” she stated.

Dookie further noted that the facility is open to farmers or potential farmers who may have inquires or interest in the aquaculture industry.
Persons who are interested in aquaculture can visit or call the station at Mon Repos, East Coast of Demerara, or make contact via telephone 220 1508.