Family makes a living through fish farming

By TONY PALME
A FAMILY in Jiwaka who has been involved in inland fish farming for 20 years is planning to make it big.
John and Jenny Nekints from the Tsenglapkanem tribe in North Waghi currently own 16 fish ponds.
Their fish species include tilapia, super tilapia (latest species), common carp, goldfish, grass carp, crucian carp, mirror carp and silver carp.
The couple is planning to expand their ponds with the help of an excavator, which they hinted they would buy, to break down higher ground at their Kolumba village at Warala.
They are grateful to the National Fisheries Authority for recognising them among 22 other small fish farmers in Jiwaka, several years ago.
“We got K20,000 from the funding support that the National Fisheries Authority gave us. I can recall the amount.
“I thank the National Fisheries Authority for recognising us. That helped me and my husband to move forward,” Jenny said.
Jenny said  yesterday in Banz that just this year they started selling some of the fish to shops in Banz.
Their future plan is to secure markets somewhere in the LNG sites or catering companies to supply them fish.
Jenny said the fish business earned them a lot of money and also provided healthy protein for the family.
They have five children who are in school, “all do exceptionally well in their studies because the protein contained in the fish boosts their brain power,” Jenny says.
“My children’s performance in school has increased. They are topping their class by getting good grades.
“Our favourite fish for meals is tilapia.
“It is good for the children and also has health benefits for women.”
They sometimes get orders for fingerlings from as far as Tari in Hela and also sell fried fish at Banz.
They have eight separate ponds and eight other ponds have been converted into a huge dam.
“Each pond has millions of fish. That’s a lot of money. We have abandoned our coffee plot to concentrate on fish.”