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HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR FISH FARM YIELDS TO MAXIMIZE PROFITS
By Emanu Georwell
Director Geossy Co. Ltd, “A Fish Farming as a Business” promoting
Company in Uganda.
Tel: +256703 816 141, Office: +256200900247.
website:www.geossylimited.com, e-mail:[email protected]
Fish farming is one of the most profitable forms of farming in Uganda,
very few farmers have ventured in since its introduction in Uganda almost 100 years ago.
Fish are popular source of protein and white - meat in many parts of East Africa.
The gap between the supply of fish and the demand for fish is widening both in Uganda and
globally. Virtually all the natural fish stocks, the oceans and lakes, have been fished to there
maximum levels and yet world human populations are on the increase.
The number of people to feed is increasing while the natural sources of fish supply are limited.
The Uganda national human population, on the other hand, is estimated at about 32 million
people and is growing more than 2.5% per year. The consequence of all this is the widening
gap between fish supply and demand. The national average per capita fish consumption is
estimated to have declined from about 14kg per person per
year before 1990 to less than 8 kg per person per year
currently; this means that a person can afford to consume
less than 8 kg of fish per year!
The few farmers who have tried to venture in fish farming
have been having lots of challenges including lack of
information and knowledge from the proclaimed experts,
who instead extort lots of money from farmers making the
venture “the most expensive form of farming”, supply of
bad fingerlings mostly tilapia got from streams, feeds not
recommended for fish, over stocking of fish in ponds
(recommended by fingerlings sellers in order to sale more seeds in there hatcheries),poor pond
construction, poor feeding habits and fish type to farm.
However, if fish farming is done well a farmer can earn up to 20 million in an acre of farm per
year.
A farmer can improve the yields of a fish farm through;
Professional knowledge
Seeking professional help among known expertise like Kajjansi Research Center, District Fisheries
extension workers, Geossy Co. Ltd, Fisheries Extensions workers and successful fish farmers like Dr.
Rugunda of Umoja fish farm in Busunju Wakiso and others.
Avoid fake “experts”
Avoid fake fish experts in order to get right information in regards to your problems in fish farming, we
have identified a list of fake experts who have misled farmers for the last 8 years in Uganda, some run
big holes in the name of fish ponds and tarpaulin sheds as hatcheries in Kawempe, Kawanda, Entebbe
and other areas, they have cheated many farmers in Uganda.
Use recommended fingerlings or seeds
Use fingerlings of the same age of length 6 – 10 cm from a good source i.e. from a farmer that has got
functional hatchery with a fisheries technician employed to advise farmers. Do not buy fingerlings from
tarpaulin sheds in Kawempe and other areas because such seeds are not produced from the hatchery
but collected from other unknown sources.
Fish Feeds and feeding
Fish need different proportions of nutrients per growth stage. More proteins are needed at fingerling
stage and the rate drops as they grow.
Fig II: Good Quality feeds
Fig III: Good quality Fingerlings
Fig IV: Poor quality Fingerlings.
Properly balanced diet feed for a specific age of fish must be used to achieve the best growth rate.
Floating feeds are the best feeds since no wastage will be recorded due to the floating effect that
makes a farmer to see excess feeds on water.
On farm made feeds are good but at a later age of 5 months and above. The on farm feeds must be
made with guidance from a professional or a knowledgeable farmer.
Use of insects harvested at night using lights boosts the proteins in fish diets; lake flies are good for fish
due to their high proteins levels.
Feeds must be given to fish depending on feeding response, when the fish don’t respond to call for
feeds please don’t give. This will avoid feed wastage and feeding at aright time and quantity needed by
fish.
Stocking tilapia in Catfish ponds will boost their diets since catfish feeds on young tilapia.
Pond fertilization and manuring especially in tilapia ponds will improve the availability of micro
organisms that the fish will feed on. NPK and others can be used in tilapia ponds and chicken
droppings, pigs dung and others can be suspended in sacs put at the corner of a pond.
Pond stocking.
Proper stocking of fish means high yield at harvest. Most farmers are deceived to stock 5- 10 fish per
square meter others even stock 20 and expect to have a massive harvest in tons, such farmers totally
harvest fish of 100 -150 grams, in such a pond one harvest 0.5-1kg per square meter.
The proper stocking density is 2-4 fish per square meter; here a farmer is assured of harvesting fish of
between 800g –1.2kg for catfish and mirror carp and between 450 – 500 g for tilapia, in such a pond
one harvests 3-5kg per square meter for catfish and mirror carp and 1.8 – 2 Kg for tilapia.
In such, feeds are consumed 3 times in over stocked ponds than in well stocked ponds yet more yields
are realized in less stocked ponds over the same period.
Proper pond stocking saves a farmer from feed wastage and easy pond water quality management
since no congestion is present.
Pond Construction
Proper pond construction means good yields in fish farming. A poorly constructed pond is the
beginning of failure in fish farming. Please contact fisheries technicians in Geossy Co.Ltd, NAADS or
district fisheries extension workers in your district to help you.
Fig V: A farmer Feeding Catfish.
Fish type to farm
Farm a right type of fish that can do better in your area and that has market locally.
Fish do better in regards to temperatures, in cold areas, mirror carp does best and in warm areas tilapia
and catfish do best. Farming a fish type in a wrong area will lead to poor yields.
Fig VI: Catfish grows up to 4kg and above in the Ponds. Fig VII: Tilapia grows up to 500g in the Pond.
Commercial fish farming in Uganda should be taken up by farmers in order to improve the availability
of fish in the market and to directly fight poverty and malnutrition due to lack of proteins.
Geossy Co. Ltd Tel: 0703816141, Kajjansi Research Center, District Fisheries extension workers, NAADS
and others will help you with information to make you succeed in fish farming as a business.
Additional information by Geossy Co. Ltd Fisheries Extension workers: Muhindo Jemima, Cert, Dip
Fisheries Management and Technologies F.T.I, and Muwonge Gilbert, BSc. Fisheries and Aquaculture
M.U.K,
Offices located at Nalukolongo opp. Eliana Jr sch, next to Omega Construction Limited.