Fish Farming and Nutrition

Fish Farming

• Fish farming is a branch of agriculture involving breeding, rearing, and marketing of fish.
• In Guyana and the Caribbean, fish farming is primarily for food, as fish is a nutritious and relatively cheap source of protein.

Nutrition and Products

• Fish provides a valuable protein that is easily digested and rich in oil, vitamins A and D, and minerals like iodine, phosphorous, and calcium.
• Other products obtained from fish include fertilizers, glue, soap, linoleum, shortening, paint, lubricant, ink, gelatin, artificial pearls, sharkskin, leather, and insulin.

Types of Fish

• Fish can be classified into several groups, including:
  • Freshwater or inland fish (e.g., patwa, houri, hassar, tilapia)
  • Saltwater or sea water fish (e.g., catfish, snapper, shark, snook)
  • Scale fish (e.g., patwa)
  • Unscale fish (e.g., gail backer)
  • Deep-sea fish (e.g., snapper, grouper)
  • Offshore fish (e.g., puce, mullet)

Fishing Methods

• There are three main methods of fishing:
  • Inland fishing (freshwater fishing)
  • Inshore or coastal fishing
  • Deep-sea fishing or offshore fishing

Inland Fishing

• Inland fishing is done in ponds, swamps, lakes, creeks, and rivers.
• Methods used include:
  • Poisoning fish
  • Shooting with bow and arrow
  • Trapping by allowing the water to channel out
  • Casting nets
  • Hook and line
  • Feeling by hand in shallow water
  • Trapping seine

Inshore or Coastal Fishing

• Inshore fishing is done in coastal waters or along the shores in small open boats.
• Methods used include:
  • Casting nets along the shore
  • Throwing out baited hooks from small boats
  • Using the pin seine method to trap fish
  • Catching fish such as queriman, mullet, snook, gail-barker, butter-fish, shark, morocut, catfish, and highwater curass

Deep-Sea Fishing or Offshore Fishing

• Deep-sea fishing is done by trawling fish pots, nets, heavy lines, or trawl-nets.
• Fish caught by trawling include snappers, bangamary, trout, tuna, mackerel, and shrimps.
• Trawlers are equipped with sophisticated equipment to detect large shoals of fish under the sea.

Aquaculture

• Aquaculture is the rearing of fish in artificially constructed ponds.
• The most popular fish reared under artificial conditions is the Tilapia (Tilapia mossambica).
• The hassar has also become popular in recent times.

Rearing Tilapia

• Tilapia mossambica grows in fresh to brackish water.
• Males are longer than females and have pointed vents.
• Males attain a weight of 56 grams in 3 months and 168 grams in 6 months.
• Females deposit eggs in holes made in the pond and incubate them.

Setting Up a Pond

• The pond site should be located near an adequate source of water and have soil that can hold water all year round.
• The pond should be constructed with:
  • A minimum size of one-tenth of an acre
  • A rectangular shape
  • A depth of 4.5' to hold a minimum of 3.4' of water
  • Sides sloping at a 30° angle
  • The bottom graded to allow complete drainage
  • Grass or suckers planted along the dam to minimize erosion

Flooding and Fertilizing the Pond

• The pond is flooded to a depth of 3.0' and fertilized with organic or inorganic fertilizers or both.
• The acidity of the water should be checked and should be between 6.5-9.0 pH.
• 2 tons of limestone per acre should be applied to reduce acidity.
• Fertilizers are applied at the rate of 2,000 Ibs/ac of organic manure initially and then 500 lbs/ac weekly.

Stocking and Feeding

• The pond should be stocked with only one sex of tilapia, and that is the male.
• The pond should be stocked at the rate of 6,000 or 25Olbs of fingerlings/ac if supplementary feeding will be done.
• Fish should be introduced two weeks after initial fertilizing.
• Fish should be fed 59% of their body weight daily.
• The most popular feedstuff is the poultry growing ration.
• Feeding should be done at least twice daily.

Fish Farming and Fish Culture

• Fish farming involves breeding, rearing, and marketing of fish for food, providing a nutritious and affordable source of protein.
• Fish is a valuable source of protein, easily digested, and rich in vitamins A and D, iodine, phosphorus, and calcium.

Fish Products and By-Products

• Fish products include fertilizers, glue, soap, linoleum, shortening, paint, lubricant, ink, gelatin, artificial pearls, sharkskin, leather, insulin, and other medicines.

Fish Characteristics

• Fish are cold-blooded vertebrates that live in salt or fresh water, with some covered in scales.
• They breathe using gills and move using fins.
• Fish can be herbivores (plant-eaters), carnivores (meat-eaters), or omnivores (both plant and animal eaters).
• Some fish lay eggs, while others are viviparous (give birth to live young).

Classification of Fish

• Freshwater fish: e.g., patwa, houri, hassar, tilapia
• Saltwater fish: e.g., catfish, snapper, shark, snook
• Scale fish: e.g., patwa
• Unscaled fish: e.g., gail backer
• Deep-sea fish: e.g., snapper, grouper
• Offshore fish: e.g., puce, mullet

Fishing Methods

• Inland fishing (freshwater fishing): done in ponds, swamps, lakes, creeks, and rivers using methods like poisoning, shooting, trapping, casting nets, hook and line, and feeling by hand.

Inshore or Coastal Fishing

• Done in coastal waters or along shores in small open boats using methods like casting nets and throwing baited hooks with corks or calabash.