To meet demand for current and future fish consumption the Livestock and Fisheries Department is undertaking a project to introduce new fish breeding methods in rural areas of Laos.
The Laos and Japan Aquaculture Improvement and Extension Project is divided into two phases, with the first phase taking place from 2001 to 2004 and the second set to end this year.
Senior officials from the department yesterday met in Vientiane with representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and provincial authorities to discuss progress on the project's second phase.
Over the past five years the project has focused on replenishing fish stocks in Oudomxay, Xayaboury, Savannakhet and Saravan provinces.
More than 1,000 farming families in 66 villages have benefited from the project through training courses, study tours and assistance in fish breeding.
To ensure future food security, raise income levels in rural areas and raise Lao fish to export standards in the future, the department is paying close attention to developing and expanding fisheries, said the department's Director General, Dr Bounkhouang Khambounheuang.
He said demand for fish around the country continues to grow so the department must step up breeding programmes.
In 2008, fishermen snared 63,500 tonnes of fish from ponds and lakes, and about 40,000 tonnes from rivers, for a total of 15kg of fish per capita, said Dr Bounkhouang.
These figures are low when compared to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.
The department plans to harvest the nation's rich natural resources and encourage fisheries to produce around 23-24 kg of fish per capita by 2020, Dr Bounkhouang said.
To reach that target, the department plans to breed more fingerlings and improve breeding techniques to boost supply.
As part of its plans the department is also instructing fisheries on new and improved techniques for breeding fish and producing high quality fingerlings.
The scheme also involves poor families and encourages them to take up fish breeding as a means to boosting income levels and improving living conditions. The meeting was attended by senior representative of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, Mr Yoneyana Yoshiharu.
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