Photo credit: Bishnu khanal (Nepal)
Review: Bishnu khanal and Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the website)
Aquaculture systems in Nepal have been usually relied on carp polyculture in earthen ponds which could run relying mainly on natural food without much supplemental feeding especially in the light of the relatively low stocking density as well as the significant contribution of silver carp in the harvest.
The production of fish feed in Nepal has been first manufactured in a governmental facility located in Hetuada, District of the Narayani Zone of southern Nepal whereas fish feed with protein contents of 16% and 22% were produced. Further development of aquaculture showed the need for new feed formulations as well as the upgrading of feed establishments. Such development would benefit from the self-sufficiency of Nepal in food cereals and hence the availability of mill by-products including broken rice, rice bran, wheat flour, wheat bran, corn in addition to mustard oil cake, soybean cake, fish meal, meat meal, and bone meal. However, the availability of domestic protein sources for commercial manufactured of fish feed seems to remain limited.
The inserted picture shows a typical earthen pond in Nepal whereas different management systems could be practiced. In semi-intensive system, floating fish feed of different protein contents of 24, 28, 30 and 35% are in use. Moreover, some fish producers may import fish feed from India.
