Radio Havana Cuba's Science, Technology and Environment Program:
BREAKTHROUGHFor broadcast Sunday, December 3, 2000
Written and narrated by Arnaldo "Arnie" Coro, RHC's Science Editor
Hello amigos, welcome to another edition of Breakthrough, our twice-weekly Science, Technology and the Environment Update. I am Arnaldo, Arnie, Coro RHC's Science Editor, and today I'll provide you with an update on Cuba's fish farming efforts. With Y2K, the Year 2000, coming to an end it's a good moment to review Cuba's outstanding efforts to further develop AQUACULTURE.... the appropriate name for what is otherwise popularly known as fish farming...
With the tremendous increase in the operating costs of the world's oceangoing fishing fleet and the depletion of the fish species that can be captured using sophisticated technologies, many nations have turned to fish farming, aquaculture, in order to supply their population with high-quality and, of course, lower cost animal protein. Cuba is no exception; as a matter of fact, this nation has developed one the most advanced and progressive fish farming programs in the world. Cuba is now also providing expertise in the field to other neighboring countries both via direct nation-to-nation cooperation agreements or via United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, programs. One of the most recent examples is the help that several Cuban fish farming experts are now providing Haiti, to enable that country to use the water reservoirs built for hydroelectric power generation as a source of valuable protein via fish farming.
Among Cuba's most recent advances in this vitally important area of the national economy are the development of so-called high intensity fish farms, which achieves a tremendous increase in production per square meter of water surface, and also saves money because retrieving the grown up fish, shrimp or lobsters is a lot easier, as they are grown in a relatively small area using artificial oxygenation of the water; and providing well-balanced food to the fresh water in order to bring the fish, shrimp or lobster to commercially viable size in a much shorter time than when they are left to feed by themselves from the natural food chain present at the reservoirs.
According to recent reports, the high-intensity fish farming approach is now providing highly valuable species that can be sold to the growing tourist trade in foreign currency, something that helps finance the fish farms' development.
But of all the interesting recent developments in fish farming here in Cuba, there is one that is receiving perhaps the most attention: Seawater fish farms, two of which are now growing their first batch. One is located near Cienfuegos in the south central part of the island, while the other seawater fish farm is on the southern coast of Pinar del Rio province. The Pinar del Rio operation is a joint venture with a company from Spain that is helping to finance the project.
Although Tilapia Africana and other very robust fish species will continue to be grown at practically every available reservoir, lagoon or small pond on the island, the trend is now to increase both productivity and production of fish farming with species such as the catfish, highly appreciated by gourmets, which has adapted very well to our climate.
Meanwhile, both shrimp and lobster farms will continue to grow because there is an important market for them, and production of both has now reached enough quantities that they are becoming available to the population in a network of fish markets that are selling them very successfully, although still at a rather high price per pound, which is expected to come down as the program continues to develop.
Fish farming, aquaculture, is already providing a significant contribution to the nation's food requirements and will continue to grow during the next several years to achieve the goal of providing each cuban with no less than 80 grams of protein per person per day.
And this was Breaktrough for today, a review of Cuba's aquaculture, fish farming, program considered by experts to be one of the most succesful in the world today. From Havana, I am Arnaldo, Arnie, Coro, RHC's Science Editor, now inviting you to join me next week at the same time and short wave frequency for another edition of Breakthrough.
For more information, via Air Mail:
"Breakthrough"
Radio Havana Cuba
Havana, CUBA 10600
Via e-mail: arnie@radiohc.org
To Arnie Coro's Dxers Unlimited
NY Transfer's Radio Havana Cuba homepage