TUTONG

THE aquaculture industry has the potential to be developed into one of the country’s leading industries given its adaptability to Brunei’s climate and environment.

“Aquaculture has a lot of potential here because Brunei has the correct weather; there are no four seasons, no earthquakes, typhoons and Brunei has the cleanest environment in the region,“ said Golden Corporation Sdn Bhd’s Assistant Marketing and Promotions Manager Kenneth Pang during a site visit by the Shrimp Culture Unit to their shrimp farm – a joint venture with Semaun Marine Resources Sdn Bhd – in Telisai yesterday.

“Most parts of the marine areas were also not polluted so the risk of having an outbreak of diseases in culturing this is smaller compared to elsewhere,” he said adding , “and that is why people from other countries are interested to explore such business here.”

Pang also said that developing a shrimp farm would take both experience and knowledge for it to become successful.

“In order to start venturing into the shrimp culturing business, one must first have the basic knowledge, interest and passion to run the farm,” he said.

“They must be determined to face the difficulties including the long hours of being under the sun,” he added.

“Knowledge gained would not only depend on books being read, hands-on knowledge are also as important; where people stay in the farm and learn to manage the farm,” he said.

“This would also include their experiences in facing crises such as the outbreak of diseases amongst the cultured shrimps,” he added.

The Malaysian assistant manager said that these knowledge could also be gained from more experienced farmers around the world, who usually gathered themselves in the Internet sharing their knowledge.

He also recommended potential business starters to consult with the Fisheries Department which has experienced staff to give advices and help them run their farms.

“Other than that if you want to have a business, maybe you can hire people who knows aquaculture,” he said.

“It’s either you have the financial background and try it repetitively if you failed or you can try learning the methods first, but of course the former is not the correct way,” he added.

Sharing the same sentiment was the head of the Shrimp Culture Unit under the Fisheries Department, Maziyatol Mariyah Haji Tusin, in charge of monitoring the conditions and the sites, so the farm remained suitable and healthy to culture the shrimps.

She said currently there are vast improvements on shrimp culture system called the “indoor shrimp farming” where farms are located inside of buildings; this system has a potential for high stocking density.

She added that the technology had been introduced worldwide and is practiced by some of Brunei’s neighbouring countries including Indonesia.

“Adopting the technology will help boost the production of shrimps which will also help to recover the world’s shrimp market,” she said.

“To those who are interested to venture in this business, my advise is to go to those countries that had already adopted and studied the technology well since the technology is not yet available in the country.

This is so that they may bring the technology back to country and further develop the industry here,” she added.

The Brunei Times