The Government of Greece, assisted by the United Nations Development Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations are engaged in a Project whose main purpose is to increase fish production through the application of improved techniques including studies on existing trout cultural methods in Epirus.
The Project became operational in March 1973 and, as part of the Project operation, FAO assigned Mr. M.F. Hull a Consultant from 21 November to 11 December 1973 with the following terms of reference:
“to make a survey of the trout cultural facilities and methods in the Government and private fish hatcheries in the Ioannina and Edessa districts and suggest easures for improving these”.
Trout hatcheries were visited near Ioannina, Louros, Arta, Konitsa and in the Edessa and Naoussa areas in a schedule arranged and conducted by the Greek fisheries personnel.
The Toumbas Springs, north of Ioannina are a large lake with deep water springs. The farm is operated by Mr. Vasilios Roumelis, and is a well functioning operation adjusting to the natural water supply conditions. He feeds no fresh fish and has no disease problems. The most common feed used is chicken byproducts and the Dutch prepared feed. Athens is the principal market outlet but the market demand is too seasonal. He is trying to produce trout that spawn in March from a shipment of eggs from Italy.
The two governmental hatcheries at Louros and Edessa were visited several times during spawning operations. Alternate and possibly more effective spawning methods were recommended. The overall quality of the broodstock appeared to be quite poor, the percentage of females with non viable eggs being very high. This is usually related to weak genetic factors, or to abrupt environmental changes: the diet may also have a detrimental effect. The relation of males to females appeared to be about even. On many occasions a ratio of one male to five females is sufficient for quality production where space and feed are limited.
The number of fingerlings available at the two Government hatcheries are only sufficient to replace the broodstock in an upgrading programme. The reasons for a low trout production are attributed in some cases to the inadequate year-round supply of spring water, and to the occasionally heavy losses resulting from diseases, particularly when fish are fed with freshwater fish (see FAO/UN, 1973).
