FINDINGS
The recent reorganization placing fisheries at the divisional level has accorded emphasis more in line with its importance in the rural economy. The prioritization of the 4 programme areas of aquaculture, wetlands and reservoir management, aquatic resources identification and post harvest technology and regulations reflect the development potentials of each of these programmes.
While all areas require strengthening in manpower and skill levels, the critical areas are those dealing with resource management, that is wetlands and reservoir management and aquatic resources identification. While mechanisms exist for coordination of fisheries policies and programmes with other departments, it is important that these linkages be strengthened.
Severe budget and manpower constraints necesitate continued external assistance for program development.
Major issues include the following:
Aquaculture: Fry and fingerling shortages, environmental impact on aquaculture, risks of tocking exotic species in reservoirs and other natural water bodies and uncontrolled imports of fry and fingerlings.
Wetland and reservoir management: lack of an adequate data base on which to formulate management policy, stocking exotic fish species, effectiveness of community-based resource management, shortage of trained staff.
Aquatic resource identification and genetics: lack of trained staff, inadequate data base.
Post harvest technology and regulation: definition of problems and identification of development potentials.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Strengthen resource management capacity focusing on staff of the National Fisheries Institute. Academic training to at least M.Sc. level should be sought through cooperation with foreign universities through scholarship funds offered by the universities, grants in aid, etc.
Establish a fish health policy for imports of brood fish, fry and fingerlings of exotic species.
Build socio-economic capabilities within the National Fisheries Institute and at the provincial level.
Diversify funding sources through collaboration with NGO's, regional bodies and internal policy changes to allow provincial fish farms to retain revenue.
