3. GENERAL FISH SEED PRODUCTION PROGRAMME AT THE FSDC

Under the Inland Fisheries Project, with World Bank Assistance, it is planned to set up 27 commercial fish seed hatcheries capable of producing 457 million quality fish seed per year at full development. The construction schedule of the hatcheries is in various stages of progress. However, according to the schedule of the production programme, the first two hatcheries in each state should be completed. Prior to this, the FSDC was required to do the following:

• Appoint a production manager who will be in charge of the production programme in the FSDC;
• Appoint a hatchery manager and supporting staff for the first two hatcheries being completed;
• Take over one or two selected viable existing fish seed farms from the Department of Fisheries to undertake the following activities;
• Raise the breedstock which will be required for the new hatcheries;
• Raise the donors of pituitary glands (PG) and collect pituitaries;
• Select the officers who will be in charge of the hatcheries;
• Start or continue breeding operations in the fish farms that are transferred to meet the demand of fish seed in the water area which is likely to be developed before the hatcheries are completed;
• Undertake training of the staff and develop the mechanisms to feed back the technology suited to local conditions of the region where the hatcheries will be in operation in the future;
• Start to raise fry/fingerlings for distribution.