“Fish farming was a bit slow when it was first introduced by the National Fisheries Authority back in early 2000.” This is from Mr Jacob Towa, owner of Towa Fish Breeding and Hatchery Farm in the Western Highlands Province. Mr Towa said this was mainly because fishponds have male and female fish together where they keep on producing more and tend to grow slow and small, thus making farmers lose interest in fish farming. “However, with the introduction of the sex reversal feed this has greatly improved fish farming in the Highlands.” “Breeding process of hatchling to fingerlings this has greatly improved fish farming, where breeding is done in breeding farms where only male fingerlings are sold to fish farmers.” He added that the breeding process is a delicate job where he has to feed and look after the hatchlings for up to 21 days and when they become fingerlings, that is when he sells them off to fish farmers. “It’s quit a skilful and delicate job where these hatchlings have to be fed 5 meals a day, and I feed them with Sex Reversal Tilapia Feeds (SRT) so the hatchlings can develop into male tilapia fish only.” “The Sex Reversal Feeds is a game changer, now we can control and grow bigger freshwater fish and farmers do not have to go to the whole process of handling hatchlings to fingerlings, but they buy fingerlings from me at my breeding and hatchery farm and grow their own fish, and all the fingerlings I sell to farmers are only male.” “Male fish tend to grow faster and bigger than the female fish, thus bringing in more income for the fish farmers and the breeding of male fish is done by feeding all hatchlings with the sex reversal feed,” said Mr Towa. “Takes 21 days of feeding and 5 times a day which is 8am, 10am, 12pm 2pm and 4pm and SRT is the very first feed we give a hatchling when it comes out of the eggs.” Mr Towa further told PNG HAUSBUNG that the SRT Feeds are very expensive and hard to buy from any store, so they had to travel to Port Moresby and Aiyura in Eastern Highlands Province to buy new supplies. However, recently National Fisheries Authority has given 9 Hatchery farmers training on how to produce their own SRT feeds and right now Mr Towa is making his own SRT feed. “I am excited that now I can make my own SRT feed, I was given the formula to make SRT feed and this has saved me some money and trips.” With more trips and money saved, he said he has more time now to concentrate on giving trainings, guidance and help to new and interested fish farmers.