Timely Initiative for Local Shrimp Farmers
BERAKAS, 13 August 2007,
Monday - LOCAL and international shrimp farmers from the region meet in
the sultanate for a three-day International Workshop on Shrimp Health.
The workshop is to discuss current findings, trends, and management of
the global shrimp industry.
"Shrimp aquaculture is our
target area," said Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources,
Dato Paduka Haji Hamdillah Hj Abd Wahab, in his speech during the
launching, yesterday.
He said the results in the
country's local shrimp production had been promising. However, Brunei
farmers face global impacts, such as viral diseases outbreaks, decline
of shrimp prices, and increasing demands of quality products (foods
produced in a responsible manner), etc.
The workshop represents a
timely initiative on the importance of aquaculture business, paved
towards the nation's ambition to be self-sufficient domestically.
The deputy minister also
spoke of positioning the country as a centre of excellence in
aquaculture technology and services.
Director of Fisheries,
Dayang Hjh Hasnah Ibrahim, said that the workshop was hoped would
further enhance the participants' understanding on the latest findings
on the diagnosis and management of shrimp diseases.
The capabilities of local
producers in the shrimp industry can be strengthened in the fields of
disease detection.
"Through active discussion,
the workshop would alsocreate an avenue for exchange of expertise and
experiences," she said.
It would further strengthen
networking linkages between both local and international farmers, as
well as scientists and experts of the field.
More than 80 registered
participants, comprising of local shrimp operators and foreign experts
from the Association of Sout-East Asian Nations, Asean, member
countries, are attending the event.
The workshop is designed to
give an understanding of shrimp diseases that farmers were facing and
how to deal with them.
The workshop is conducted
by world leading figures in the industry from the United States and
Australia.
Today,
participants will visit the Department of Fisheries' quarantine and
breeding facilities, local shrimp hatchery and farm, and Telisai Phase
II pond facility allocated for the development of the sultanate's
aquaculture industry.
- Courtesy of the
Brunei Times -
