FISH FARMING TOP ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN HIGHLANDS REGION

Fish Farming is booming in the Highlands Region with more and more farmers shifting from poultry and livestock to farming fish.

This is because local farmers have seen the benefits of fish farming both economy and food security wise. This year alone about 50 plus farmers have turned their land into fishponds in Western Highlands Province and in the Southern Highlands Province. This was revealed by Mr. Jacob Towa, Fish Technical Advisor and owner of Towa Fish Hatchery.

“I am helping new farmers to start their ponds, and I provide technical support to them, and my job has taken me as far as Hela Province to help set up new fish farms.”

“I am more focused on fish farmers in Western Highlands Province and Southern Highlands Province which are closer to me, so at the moment the fish farmers in Tari are in need of a technical officer who can direct and guide them in their fish farming projects.”

Towa also highlighted that Southern Highlands Province needs Trout Hatchery to boost their trout farm projects which are now developing in Southern Highlands.

Currently there is only one Trout Hatchery in the Highlands Region and that Hatchery is in Simbu Province at the Betty Lodge in Mt Wilhelm.

“We want to build a Trout Hatchery in SHP, to make it easier for the transfer of trout fingerlings to small trout farms because often times the transferring of trout fingerlings are very risky because if not handled well, the fingerlings die and sometimes it’s just security precautions for long distance drive.”

Building a Trout Hatchery in SHP will make it easy for Trout farmers in SHP, Upper Western Highlanders and those in Hela Province, that is in the plan and hopefully we can archive that in 2025, said Mr. Towa.

Mr. Towa added that currently there are about 6 major suppliers of Fingerlings to all fish farms in all districts here in Jiwaka Province, and this goes to show how fish farming is taking over the Highlands Region.

“Right now, I am ready to supply about 20,000 fish fingerlings to a Farm in Kagamuga which was recently certified by National Fisheries Authority as a Commercial Fresh Water Fish Farm.”

“Another 50,000 fingerlings will be sent to Togoba Secondary school, which will also benefit the local fish farmers living around the school vicinity.”

Towa said he is happy to see schools digging up fishponds for their agriculture classes and he is very much excited as well because more youths have now taken up fish farming.

“The Marape Rosso Government’s policy on Take back PNG and the focus on the Agricultural Sector as the way to reviving the country’s economy is an important call; therefore, our government should allocate some funding for freshwater fish farming which is a booming business.”

Mr. Towa is urging all members of the parliament to assist their people back at home with funds to start fish farming businesses.

“MPs must buy, fingerlings and feedlings and give to their people and hire technical officers to go and teach and set up fishponds, this in return will help all those in the village struggling financially.”