PERFORMANCE OF QUALITY SEED PRODUCTION AND BROOD MANAGEMENT STATUS OF FISH HATCHERIES IN GREATER SYLHET

Abstract

Aquaculture in Bangladesh has got tremendous development and contributing 55% of the total fish production. To meet up the demand of fish seed, hatchery produced seed has a great contribution in our country. In order to know the present brood management status and performance of quality seed production in Sylhet division, the present study was conducted under four different districts (Sylhet, Sunamganj, Habiganj and Moulvibazar) in greater Sylhet from March to August, 2014. From the study, it is found that there are about 26 hatcheries existing in greater Sylhet of which 7 are in public sector and 19 are in private sector. The number of hatcheries is 5, 8, 6 and 7 in Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Sunamganj and Hobiganj, respectively. Most of the hatcheries are mainly producing carp species but one hatchery is based on Shing & Magur and another hatchery is producing Tilapia species. About 12,179 kg of fish seed are produced from the hatcheries in greater Sylhet. In this region, about 74,541 kg of brood fishes are available and projected demand is 92,170 kg in the year 2015. From the present study, it is revealed that 15 species of fish seeds are available among them 7 species (Mrigal, Thai punti, Rui, Catla, Grass carp, Silver carp and Bighead carp) are major as per public demand. It is also reported that Mrigal is the highest produced fish seed (20%) in Sylhet region followed by Thai punti (16%), Rui (11%), Silver carp (9%), Grass carp (9%), Bighead carp (9%), Catla (8%), Bata (7%), Kalibaush (4%), Gonia (4%), Carpio (2%) and others (1%). The average price rate of Catla is the highest (BDT 3500/Kg) followed by Rui, Bighead carp, Mrigal, Grass carp, Silver carp, Kalibaush, Gonia, Carpio, Thai punti, Bata and others. The price rate of spawn is 1,800-3,500 Tk/kg at the staring period of breeding season and then the rate decreased to 1,0002,500 Tk/kg at the end of the season. Moreover,

about 38.45 million fingerlings are produced in 2014 which contributed to increase fish production in this region. Though the quantity of fish seed production is increasing day by day in this region but the fish seed quality produced by the hatcheries is not so good. They also reported that public hatcheries comparatively produce good quality fish seed than the private hatcheries. The present brood condition is not good at all, which are used in different hatcheries. Most of the hatcheries reported that 52.93% brood fish is used from their own source which is followed by nursery and grow-out farmers’ source (23.64%), river source (12.97%) and other source (10.46%). They stated that brood fish from natural sources hardly found. As a result, the broods are mainly under sized, poor health condition, and mostly collected from grow-out pond and left over fingerlings. Marketing of fries and fingerlings produced in the hatcheries in greater Sylhet is satisfactory. Demand of quality fry and fingerlings is increasing rapidly. Most of the people in Sylhet region have a tendency to go abroad and they neglect the fish hatchery or fish farm business because they are not fully aware of the profitable hatchery business and its potentiality. A management plan of quality brood development, distribution and expansion of hatchery business is recommended for resource utilization and increase of fish production in this region.