Our Correspondent
RANGAMATI, July 24: Combined efforts can bring success to newly-adopted cage fish culture at Kaptai Lake here, said fisheries experts at Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI), Rangamati River Substation.
Through cage fishing, local unemployed youths can change their lot as the method, on experimental basis, has given expected output, the experts said.
The fish culture at this largest manmade lake is based on conventional fish collection method. As a result, the fish production is not up to the mark.
Currently, the fish collection in each hectare of the Kaptai Lake is 131 kilograms. But, the cage fish culture can multiply the production per hectare, opined the fisheries experts at Rangamati BFRI.
Sources in Rangamati BFRI said, an experimental fish culture as per the method was conducted in 12 cages at different spots of the lake under Kaptai and Langadu upazilas recently. During the experiment, fingerlings of Monosex Tilapia were released in the cages and nurtured as per modern methods, and within four months, expected output was achieved.
After measuring the output, it was found that a fisherman can get 30 times profit through fish culture following the method.
Senior Scientific Officer of BFRI in Rangamati MA Bashar said, "Through fish culture according to this new method on a nominal portion of the Kaptai Lake, huge and better output can be achieved since it is cost effective and requires less time. Thus it can change the whole economic scenario of the region."
Meanwhile, many fish cultivator have shown interest to adopt this method of fish culture and become economically solvent, the BFRI official added.
