Basseterre, St. Kitts (SKNIS): Land-based aquaculture will be expanded in 2024, as part of the St. Kitts’ Department of Marine Resources strategy to reduce the Federation’s food import bill by 25 per cent in 2025.
Aquaculture covers the rearing of aquatic animals or the cultivation of aquatic plants for food. Director of Marine Resources, Randel Thompson, said that an important aspect of the strategy involves the construction of a building for aquaculture.
“We plan to have it done this year,” Mr Thompson stated while appearing on the January 31 edition of the radio and television programme InFocus.
He noted that the objectives for the building will involve growing fish or shrimp from eggs or at a fingerling stage until they are ready to be sold for consumption. Director Thompson added that ornamental fish development will also be featured at the aquaculture facility.
Another component will see an increase in bait fish.
“One of the problems that our fisheries sector faces is to get bait fish to go out and fish. But if we can produce bait then our fishers will have bait readily available for them, so that too is something we are looking forward to doing,” the director of marine resources expressed.
Baitfish is widely considered the best option to bait larger fish.