Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions has benefited from the implementation of Aquaculture for Food and Job, and other special projects by the Fisheries Commission, as indicated by the Bono Regional Director of the commission, Dr. Lawrence Armah Ahiah, which has resulted in an increase in fish production of these regions.
The Fisheries Commission embarked on the rehabilitation of the Dormaa-Ahenkro Hatchery and Training Centre, the training of 123 fish farmers in feed formulation and preparation, the construction of 213 additional ponds, the establishment of 99 new farms, and the training of 144 fish farmers on sanitation and biosecurity and 123 fish processors and traders on hygienic handling which has influenced the fish production levels of these regions.
According to statistics obtained from the Bono regional office of the commission, the three regions has increased their fish production from 104.66 tonnes of fish made up of 28.59 tonnes of tilapia, 76.02 tonnes of catfish and 0.06 tonnes of heterotic in 2019 to 195.71 tonnes of fish made up of 66.254 tonnes of tilapia, 111.452 tonnes of catfish and 18.0 tonnes of other species in 2020.
Dr Ahiah mentioned that the regions were actively participating in the government flagship “Aquaculture for Food and Jobs” programme, which was instituted to promote aquaculture production and create jobs, explaining that three youth groups and the Dormaa Senior High School (SHS) has benefited from the programme. He mentioned the Nobles Youth Association at Aworowa-Techiman in Bono East, Ahafo Nkorsuo Youth Association at Mim in Ahafo and Eagles Youth Association at Wenchi in the Bono Region as the youth groups benefitting from the programme.
“All the youth associations have 10/300 M2 earthen fish ponds, whereas the school has four of the same size constructed for them,” he explained.
Recounting the major challenge of the aquaculture industry in these three regions, Dr. Ahiah explained that farmers found it difficult to get enough fingerlings for production, adding that the rehabilitated Dormaa-Ahenkro Hatchery and Training Centre, which is to start production early next month, has the capacity to produce quality fingerlings and to serve as a training centre for fish farmers and processors to help promote aquaculture and agriculture integration technology, as well as security for farmers.
According to Dr. Ahiah, the Dormaa-Ahenkro Hatchery and Training Centre has been in existence for over 20 years but due to technical and financial challenges, the hatchery remained non-functional which led to the encroachment of project lands reducing its original size of 42 hectares to five hectares. He explained that the facility which, has been rehabilitated and upgraded by the commission would be used to promote modern fish processing technology and to conduct trials on the new fish farming technologies in the regions and would also be used as a regional Fish Data Management Centre, where data of fisheries in the regions would be kept.
