The visually attractive and most scientifically advanced aquaculture practice for farmable carps and catfishes, known as In-pond Raceway System (IPRS), promises a dramatic rise in fish production in Chapainawabganj.
Akbar Hossain, the owner of "Nawab Matsya Khamar Prakalpa [Nawab Fish Farm Project]" is using IPRS in his ponds to commercially produce different carps, Tilapia and Pangas.
He installed the system in altogether 20 hectares (60 bighas) of his land in Noyagola Bolunpur, located in the outskirts of Chapainawabganj district town.
"Where 300 to 400 fishes could be farmed at a time in a bigha of a traditional pond, with the IPRS up and running, about 10,000 fishes can be farmed in the same area," says Akbar, a national award winning fisheries entrepreneur, who just about two years ago used to farm fish by dividing his land into 36 ponds.
Dr Amimul Ehsan, the district fisheries officer in Chapainawabganj said: "Around 32 tons of fish could be produced from every 250 cubic metres using the IPRS. In Akbar's farm, all the conditions of Good Aquaculture Practices (GAP) have been followed, and export-quality fishes are being produced."
During an on-spot visit at Akbar's fish farm this correspondent observed the lucrative prospect of IPRS as well as its environment friendly perks which clearly sets the system apart from other methods of fish farming in the country.
In an IPRS farm, fishes are raised in cells or “raceways” within a pond. Constant water circulation is maintained for optimal water quality and to improve feed management.
The IPRS also has the potential to reduce solid waste loading in the pond by concentrating and removing it from the downstream end of raceway units. The wastes can be used as fertilizers, thus reducing the harmful impact on nature.
Water circulation, mixing and aeration are critical elements to this approach because it accelerates assimilation of organic material in the pond required for raising a high number of fishes in a comparatively smaller area.
In Akbar's farm, there are 13 raceways, where 12,000 to 20,000 pieces of fishes are being farmed in each of them.