Overview
This project aimed to develop aquaculture planning systems for management agencies and to improve fish husbandry techniques for primarily small-scale fish farmers in PNG.
More than 10,000 small-scale fish farms in Papua New Guinea already produce tilapia, carp or trout for home consumption and sale, and interest in aquaculture continues to climb. The government has given high priority to aquaculture development in recognition of its potential to help achieve food security, particularly in the inland areas, but production levels are low compared with South-East Asian systems. Constraints include lack of capability within management agencies to identify appropriate sites for pond development, inadequate supply and poor quality of fingerlings, limited availability and high cost of pond fertilisers and suitable feeds, and a general lack of knowledge and training on aquaculture husbandry skills.
Focused on the Western, Western Highlands, Eastern Highlands and Morobe Provinces, the project addressed the farming requirements of different fish species and environmental challenges.
The project built directly on research undertaken with support from ACIAR - one project on land classification for aquaculture development in Indonesia and three others on inland aquaculture in PNG.