Fisheries and Aquaculture Research Station Inaugurated at QAU

An inauguration ceremony for “Fisheries and Aquaculture Research Station” was held at QAU campus. The research station was established with the support of Higher Education Commission (HEC). The main objective of the research station was to upgrade the existing research facilities of the Department of Animal Sciences and to equip the Fisheries students with new trends and techniques of aquaculture.

 The facility is well designed, consisting of open field earthen ponds and concrete tanks, raceways and indoor facility comprising of fiber tanks and glass aquaria. Thus students have opportunity to conduct their research in control, semi control and natural conditions.

 Dr. Amina Zubieri, Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Sciences (QAU) briefed the guests about the project. She said that specific objective of research is to address the basic issues like fish nutrition, fish welfare, feed formulation, selection of disease resistance and fast growing strain of fisheries sector and transfer the technology to fish farmer.

 “Pakistan is blessed with vast water bodies like rivers, streams, canals, drain, lake, dams, water flood areas but in spite of endowment in natural resources, fisheries sector contributes 3.5 % in agriculture production and share only 1% of GDP, while annual per capita fish consumption in Pakistan is far behind (only 2.4 kg) as compare to many countries of the region” said Dr. Amina Zubieri.

She urged the need to run fisheries and aquaculture activities on scientific scale. “In Pakistan, fisheries and aquaculture sector is contributing significantly in fish production but as compare to most of countries, it is not technologically advanced. Moreover our captured fisheries is showing continuous decreasing trend” she added.

 QAU acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Eatzaz Ahmed in his inaugural speech, said that there are many areas in fisheries sector which need 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 survivorship of fish and pond management.

 “For the sustainable development of aquaculture these issues need to be addressed. Our research students are already doing research in the area of fish nutrition, fish behavior, fish welfare and fish toxicology and hopefully we will contribute in resolving these issues. Beside these, this research station will help us in producing resource persons and skilled manpower who contribute in boosting fisheries sector” said the Vice Chancellor.

Dean Faculty of Biological Sciences, Prof. Dr. Asghari Bano expressed her appreciation to HEC for funding the project and lauded the hard work and dedication of Dr. Amina Zubieri and research students of the department. Chairman Department of Animal Sciences, Dr. Irfan Zia Qureshi, while concluding the ceremony hoped that research station will serve as a hub for University’s endeavors to promote further development and collaboration among industry, government and academia.