Photo credit: Diego Mauricio Carrillo Freire (Ecuador) – Review: Diego Mauricio Carrillo Freire and Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the website)
The inserted picture shows a circular tank made of reinforced concrete located in the Ecuadorian highlands. The tank is used to produce rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss following semi-intensive practices.
The introduction of trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) into Ecuador took place in 1940s for sport fishing and then after used in aquaculture. According to FAO statistics, trout production from aquaculture amounted 3,200, 3200, 4500, and 6,051 tons in 2013 till 2016 respectively. Rainbow trout aquaculture has developed mostly in the inter-Andean region of Ecuador.
It is believed that expanding trout culture in Ecuador would be possible in the light of the availability of the many rivers and cool, unpolluted waters in the highlands of Ecuador. However, the main problems related to trout culture need to be addressed; formulating and manufacturing trout feeds suitable for all life stages of trout with a reasonable cost is seen a key obstacle at the moment.
In order to enhance the productivity and in the same time avoid inbreeding within the rainbow trout, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MAGAP) in Ecuador has developed a project for improving the genetic lines of the species through purchasing eggs or fry from the US, Denmark and Spain. Added to that, the project includes the upgrading and equipping of the two trout breeding centers. Away from aquaculture, the species is commonly found in the rivers and lakes of the country’s sierra region and hence widely available in stores and roadside stands.