It was stated by experts at the inaugural session of seminar on aquaculture: opportunities and challenges arranged by Department of Zoology, wildlife and Fisheries, University of Agriculture Faisalabad at Seminar Room of Science Block, UAF. The seminar was chaired by UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Zafar Iqbal Randhawa, while Dean Faculty of Sciences Dr Muhammad Ashghar Bajwa, Department Chairman Dr Hammad Ahmad, Dr Abdul Mateen and other notables also spoke on the occasion.
Dr Iqbal Zafar said that aquaculture is still an untapped area; as there was an immense potential for development of the sector in terms of nutrition, employment, and poverty alleviation. He said that the country has been blessed with very rich agricultural and animal resources both terrestrial and aquatic. He directed the UAF scientists and experts to address problems of farming community and to develop model farm of fisheries, livestock and agriculture. He added that the UAF had mapped out a plan to convert the agricultural field a model ones to demonstrate the farming community and for the scientific purpose.
Dr Asghar Bajwa said that there were areas in fisheries sector, in which a scientific understanding including low-cost feed formulation and preparation, production of fast growing disease resistance fish, introduction of more species in aquaculture, improvement of post release survivor ship of fish and pond management need be carried out. He stressed upon the need to run fisheries and aquaculture activities on scientific scale.
Dr Hammad Ahmad said that world fish production reached 171 million tons per annum currently. He said that the seminar will come up with new avenue for the development of the sector. He added the that we had to make the celebrated efforts to increase the aquaculture production in a sustainable manners. Dr Khalid Abbas, Dr Sajid Abdullah and others also spoke .