Establishment uses new technic to farm tilapia

By PETER ESILA
AN aquaculture establishment in Milne Bay is supplying fish to the markets and applying mono-sex techniques to provide the right size of fish to the market.
The Milne Bay aquaculture is located at Bubuleta in Alotau – a project by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and National Fisheries Authority (NFA).
Farm supervisor Francis Miyamoa said the mono-sex or sex reversal techniques applied to tilapia in the ponds was to get the right size.
“We do production of table size tilapia which we produce and sell. We also have breeder ponds,” Miyamoa said.
“We produce fingerlings and sell to the farmers.
“Currently we have this mono-sex or sex reversal, which we change the female tilapia to male.
“All will be male so we can get the right size because currently we have this mixed sizes.”
The project started in 2010.
The area has six ponds.
There are also six breeder ponds.
“Currently, we sell to the farmers. We also sell to the people at Alotau and also to shops on request.
“The money goes back to the provincial government as part of revenue.”
He said tilapia was still regarded as a new species in the province.
Provincial fisheries officer Sharon Maiseven said the mono-sex project was the first to be done in the country.