The research centre will operate with the same staff of NRS, and shall take over all of its functions.
It is therefore recommended that once the decision is made to relocate the Naduruloulou Research centre to Navua, development of operational plans covering seed production, research and training of both staff and farmers should start immediately.
CDF targets can only be achieved with improved management and introduction of new breeding techniques.
It is therefore recommended that development plans to introduce new techniques should be elaborated.
The facilities of the new research centre provide good options for exceeding the production objectives set for the centre. Provided that production techniques improve, there will be enough capacity in terms of engineering facilities to produce fish seed for commercial ventures. Supply of seed to commercial ventures may generate income to the research centre, thus partly covering the costs of operation.
In addition, the national CDF plan assumes good quality of fish seed that can only be produced under tight management control. Private entrepreneurs will not be in the position to produce quality seed in the required number for some time.
A carefully designed support scheme can help to support fish producers with seed against payment according to their capability. For instance, subsistence farmers should receive seed free of charge only for a limited number of years (e.g. 2–3 years), and afterwards they should pay a reduced price and the government subsidy should phase out. Commercial farmers should pay costs of production or even less: at the beginning of their production payment should be less, and when getting stronger increase the price. Irrespectively of the details, the scheme must be transparent, accountable and reliable.
Supplying fish seed free of charge will not establish good relation between seed producers and receivers.
It is recommended to develop a support scheme for subsistence and commercial fish producers to help them at the initial period of their venture, but with a gradual phase-out of government subsidy. Such scheme would motivate the staff of the research centre to produce quality fish seed and the farmers to organise their ventures more profitably.
The staffs of NRS have already had the opportunity to participate in various training programmes abroad. Local training programmes are usually organised in a manner that only certain aspects of fish production are highlighted. Previously gained experience on various fields of aquaculture can successfully be integrated into complex management operations at home. Following several discussions with NRS staff it can be stated that a complex management training is still necessary.
In order to ensure maximum utilisation of the facilities from the beginning, it is recommended to hire a well experienced consultant to support the management in site. The consultant should be well experienced in propagation and mass production of Tilapia and Chinese carp species including different breeding methods. In addition, he/she must be well experienced in hatchery management in developing countries under extreme conditions. Finally, the consultant must have applied research background to support research programmes.
There are several activities to be carried out prior to elaboration of final designs.
It is recommended to start a site survey and soil survey as soon as decision is made to relocate NRS to Navua.
It is also recommended to start water quality measurement, and especially the measurement of oxygen content at regular periods (2–3 weeks), twice daily (at 06:00 and 14:00 hours) from 0.5 and 2.0 m below water level as specified in chapter 5.2.
The government of Fiji attaches high importance to the development of freshwater fisheries. It is expected that more and more farmers will ask advice on pond construction, but there is no civil engineer with experience in freshwater fisheries to provide support to farmers.
It is recommended that one (but preferably two) civil engineers of MAAF should participate in aquaculture engineering education abroad. The education programme should primarily focus on practical aspects but not neglecting basic knowledge on fish culture, fish biology and fish production. An initial step of education may be a study tour to well managed freshwater projects, preferably with multi-functions of research, seed production and extension.
Education and training of local civil engineers to familiarise with freshwater aquaculture take time, but the implementation of the NRS relocation project may start soon, once funds are secured.
It is therefore recommended that an aquaculture engineer should be associated to the project for its full implementation period.
