#Kingston, Jamaica, July 1, 2024 – Aquaculture sector stakeholders are being strongly urged to protect their fish farms from the major threat of flooding, in light of the approach of Hurricane Beryl.
Regional Aquaculture Extension Officer with the National Fisheries Authority (NFA), Clive Williams, told JIS News that proper drainage systems are crucial to manage potential overflow.
“One of the main threats to aquaculture farmers is flooding, because when there is a lot of rain, water will accumulate. One of the first things you need to do is to ensure that all the drains that take water from the ponds are clean and ensure that there is no blockage to the outlet pipe for the pond,” he said.
Mr. Williams added that clearing drains of debris and weeds will help water to flow through pipes faster.
He further stated that although fish farmers are typically encouraged to keep their drains cleared in anticipation of the hurricane
season, some may not prioritise the effort.
“They might not have the money or equipment to do it and they might be saying ‘we won’t have any hurricane or rain this year because of the drought’. But we always tell them to make sure their drains are clean and drainpipes are working properly. We also ask that they put a screen on the drainpipe,” the Extension Officer pointed out.
For proper maintenance, a drainpipe should be positioned to take water away from the pond. Normally, the fishpond is constructed with 1½ ft. to 2 ft. of free space to accommodate extra water.
Therefore, drainpipes need to be lowered to that depth or should be cut off at that level, so that the water does not overflow the pond.
Meanwhile, Mr. Williams urges farmers to properly store their fish feed to prevent spoilage.
“Breeze is not normally a threat to the pond. But if you have a house where you store your feed, then that may affect it. Most of the farmers normally store feed in what is called a container on the farm. We ask that you batten up the vent or window area to prevent rain from blowing inside the storage area,” he advised.
“If the feed gets wet, it will spoil. Also, make sure that you put your feed on pallets. Instead of keeping them on one pallet, you might want to keep them on two pallets that have enough height, should water come inside the storage area,” Mr. Williams said.
For more information and to make contact with Fisheries Extension Officers in your area, persons are invited to contact the NFA at 876-927-1731-50.
Contact: Twila Wheelan
Release: JIS