Fisheries authority planning markets for fish farmers

NATIONAL Fisheries Authority (NFA) managing director John Kasu says he plan to find markets for local fish farmers.
“In all economic activities, there must be a market,” he said.
“We will work with the farmers to look for domestic markets.
“We are looking at setting up hubs that will supply fingerlings to surrounding areas and processing methods to prepare fish to sell at whatever available market we have.”
Kase said for fish farmers to prepare their catches for the markets, the NFA will show them quality packing processes such as “vacuum packing”.
In the highlands where aquaculture is gaining momentum, market is a problem for some farmers.
Samual Opa, a trout fish farmer from Pup village in the Mul-Baiyer, Western Highlands, said he could only sell to one lodge in Mt Hagen.
Opa said other lodges and hotels did not have trout on their menu.
“They (Kimininga lodge) buy it for K40 a kilo – about four fish,” he said.
“The fish are big in size but I have nowhere else to sell.
“I weigh more than one kilogram which I sell at that price.”
“In the village, people who are employed buy one fish for K20.”
Kase said they would look at international markets such as China.