Tilapia fish output increases 35-fold in a decade

They also expressed their view that appropriation of contemporary tilapia seed varieties could increase the production further.

Production of tilapia has increased to 0.138 million tonnes in 2012 from 0.004 million tonnes in 2002.

The imported fish variety now covers 4.45 per cent of the total 3.1 million tonnes of fish production in the country, according to the Department of Fisheries.

While talking to FE, fish experts predicted that the production could be increased to 0.150 million tonnes in the next two years by using contemporary tilapia seeds.

Dr Gulam Hussain, former Director General, Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) said appropriation of modern aquaculture in 90s helped increase the production.

"It could increase to 0.15 million tonnes by the end of 2015 if we can use contemporary seeds", he pointed out.

Dr Hussain said Bangladesh is one of the top freshwater aquaculture producers in the world, but currently facing problems over its tilapia seed quality.

He informed that the country has over 400 tilapia seed production hatcheries which produce 3.5-4.0 billions of monosex or mixed-sex seeds every year.

Dr Hussain pointed out that gross anomalies have been observed recently in respect to brood fish management and stock replacement due to the establishment of a huge number of tilapia hatcheries in the country.

"As a result, limited numbers and repeated use of brood fish are leading to the problems associated with stock deterioration and inbreeding," he said.

An official at the state-run 'Raipur Fish Hatchery and Training Centre' in Lakshipur district told the FE that many farmers reported that they are not getting the expected size of tilapia fish due to the use of inferior quality tilapia fry from many hatcheries.

However, WorldFish, an international, nonprofit research organisation engaged in food security, has taken initiatives to increase production of higher quality tilapia fry (Seed) in Bangladesh.

In order to solve the problem and help aquaculture in the country, a new Worldfish project has been taken to provide farmers with better quality tilapia fry.

Dr Hussain, also a fish genetic specialist for WorldFish said in regard to these problems, the genetic deterioration of brood stock and poor hatchery management have been considered as the greatest constraint for quality fry production.

In order to combat the problems with tilapia fry quality, WorldFish's Bangladesh and South Asia part have recently established five 'Tilapia Breeding Nucleuses (TBN) in the public and private sector hatcheries in greater Noakhali, Barisal, Jessore and Mymensingh regions.

"The project has been initiated for the production and dissemination of improved germplasm of tilapia," Hussain said.

He also informed that among these five TBNs, two have been recently established in Jessore region under the USAID funded 'Feed the Future Aquaculture' project.

It is roughly estimated that during the breeding season of 2013, the five TBNs of WorldFish will be able to produce over three million improved germplasm of tilapia, which can be distributed and sold to 80 tilapia hatcheries in the southern districts of Bangladesh.

According to the Bangladesh Fish Research Institute (BFRI), the country has now 6,000 commercial farms that produce over 0.13 million tonnes of tilapia fish.