WorldFish excited by Skretting collaboration
Skretting’s recent decision to enter into a five-year partnership in Egypt with the research institute WorldFish, which focuses on reducing poverty and hunger by improving fisheries and aquaculture, has been greeted with enthusiasm.
Gamal El-Naggar, Country Manager for Egypt at WorldFish, told Fish Farming Expert: “The agreement is a good example of a partnership between WorldFish and the private sector with the aim of having a positive impact on the development of aquaculture in Egypt and Africa.”
El-Naggar explains that the partnership will focus on tilapia nutrition and testing of new, local ingredients – such as agricultural by-products from rice milling and wheat bran – for fish feed.
The construction of an advanced trial unit, used for testing different feed formulations on fish growth performance, with a two unit recirculation system is part of the partnership.
System 1 will consist of 12 tanks of around 400 litres, fit for a maximum stocking density of 25 fish of 500 gram (12.5 kgs per tank), and will allow for easy collection of uneaten feed and faeces of the fish, water temperature control, and a filter system capable of maintaining a good water quality.
System 2 will consist of 12 tanks of around 125 litres, fit to hold maximum stocking density of 25 fish of 100 gram (2.5kg per tank), 2 storage tanks of around 1300 litres each for preparing fish for trials.
El-Naggar contines: “Tilapia production in Egypt is a really advanced sector with still a lot of potential for further progress to be realized.
“The Egyptian aquaculture model is a real success story and definitely could act as a blueprint for other African aquaculture sectors due the diversified nature of its farming systems – ranging from the extensive low input systems to intensive high input high productivity systems, including ponds, flow-through concrete tanks in integrated systems and even cage farming systems."
