Tanks used for tilapia farming. (Photo: Stock File)
The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MPA) announced the opening of a public consultation period for a draft standard instruction to institute the National Fingerling Tilapia Sanitary Monitoring Programme called ‘Monitored Tilapia Fingerling'.
This initiative is part of the National Certification Plan of Aquatic Young Animals and aims to ensure better quality and healthier fingerlings.
The MPA considers that the sanitary control of fry development is a fundamental condition for the success of the production chain. Therefore, the programme that now submits before the public provides monitoring pathogenic microorganisms that are relevant to animal health, which harms farmers.
The programme, which includes Oreochromis, Tilapia, Sarotherodon fingerlings and hybrids of those genuses, aims to ensure the prevention, control and eradication of diseases that affect domestic production of these fish.
The National Network of Laboratories (RENAQUA) of MPA will offer the necessary scientific support to perform the official diagnosis.
Later, it is expected that the MPA, together with Network Veterinary Epidemiology Collaboration (AquaEpi), define the health certification strategies for the production of tilapia larvae.
The public consultation will run for 30 days after the publication of the new regulations in the Official Gazette of Union.