Policy for fisheries sector suggested

Lahore: Participants of a two-day International Fisheries & Aquaculture Conference have suggested formulating a ‘fisheries and aquaculture policy’, a news source reported. The University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore organised this event, geared towards exploring ‘Emerging Trends for Sustainable Exploitation of Aquatic Resources’. The said policy, if formulated, will help in the development of the emerging fisheries sector in Pakistan.

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Other suggestions made during the conference are as follows:

• Strengthening of extension services
• Promotion of cage fish and shrimp culture
• Introduction of high-value potential fish species
• Trout farming
• Using barren & saline public and private lands for fish farming
• Degree programmes in fisheries and aquaculture
• Degree programmes in environmental protection & climate change
• Development of cold chain & processing plants with model markets

Read: Subsidies announced for fish farming

UVAS Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Talat Naseer Pasha discussed the growth potential of fisheries and aquaculture in Pakistan. He stressed that the country needs to cap this potential through national and international collaborations, and public-private value addition, partnership, and processing arrangements.

More than 500 faculty members, professionals, and researchers, along with individuals associated with the fisheries sector, attended the conference.