Workshop on Artemia Pond Culture and Marketing held

The Artemia Pond Culture and Marketing workshop of the Artemia4Bangladesh project was held at the Seagull Hotel in Cox's Bazar on Wednesday (22 March). 

With the support of the European Union, WorldFish Bangladesh organised the event, reads a press release.

The workshop was presided over by Emeritus Professor Dr Patrick Sorgeloos and Artemia4Bangladesh project Technical Team Leader Dr Muhammad Meezanur Rahman. 

Md Bodruzzaman, district fisheries officer, Md Jafor Iqbal Bhuiyan, deputy general manager of BSCIC, and Md Aktaruzzaman, scientific officer of BFRI, attended the workshop. 

Md Bodruzzaman said, "Artemia production is new in Bangladesh which has been introduced by WorldFish and I believe this culture has immense possibility to contribute to the economy of Bangladesh." 

"If this culture grows properly, it will enable us to contribute in achieving vision 2041 like other sectoral production," he added.

Dr Patrick Sorgeloos said, "Artemia production helps build resilience in the time of climatic disturbance during salt production. Introducing the usage of local instruments and materials in Artemia production is a good practice." 

He also congratulated Bangladeshi Artemia farmers for their success. 

Across Asia, several other countries, particularly Vietnam and Thailand, have adopted new technologies to improve the profitability of their salt farms through the production of Artemia cysts and biomass and it has improved the socio-economic conditions of thousands of families in places like Vinh Chau-Bac Lieu in Vietnam.

Dr Meezanur Rahman presented brief ideas about Artemia culture and progress of the project. 

Shamsul Kabir, deputy chief of party of WorldFish, reemphasised the use and importance of locally produced Artemia biomass and cyst from the salt farm.

Mahbub Alam, a successful Artemia farmer from Gorakghata, Moheskhali, said, "I sold Artemia biomass in the hatcheries and fed Artemia biomass to the shrimp grow-out farms which helped to increase the growth of shrimp."

Artemia farmer Azizul Hoque said, "Artemia biomass can be fed to chickens, ducks and other birds also. One day I saw chickens eating the leftover biomass. Then I started to feed biomass to chickens. Unbelievably, I found that chickens are laying more eggs than before." 

A number of stakeholders attended the workshop and expressed that Artemia culture can be profitable means for improving the economic solvency of the locals.