LAHORE (22-11-23): The Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore observed World Fisheries Day with the theme of “Cast the Net” here on Tuesday.
Various activities including awareness walk, seminar, business ideas competition and fishing activities organized to mark the day in befitting manner at Ravi Campus Pattoki.
Director (Aquaculture) Department of Fisheries Punjab Dr Muhammad Abid was the chief guest and preside over the seminar while Dean Faculty of Animal Production and Technology Prof Dr Saima, Chairman Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Dr Muhammad Hafeez-ur-Rehman, Chairman Department of Wildlife & Ecology/Principal Office Ravi Campus Prof Dr Arshad Javid, Food Safety Officer M Suleman Najeem, Aquaculture consultant M Adnan Arif, fisheries professionals and a large number of postgraduate students and faculty members attended.
While addressing the audience in the seminars, Dr Muhammad Abid said that fisheries and aquaculture playing a significant role in national economy and food security. He said Fisheries Department has launched multiple projects and creating the avenues for its production on large scale and It is the need of hour to aware the people about fish eating habits. He said department is providing the guidelines to the farmers for the construction of fish farms, fish hatcheries and providing the literature for future directions and have the mobile vans and providing the free of cost services to the farmers and also conserving fish biodiversity through fingerlings stock replenishment program.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Muhammad Hafeez-ur-Rehman highlighted the critical importance of healthy ocean ecosystems and to ensure sustainable stocks of fisheries in the world. He emphasized that the UVAS department of fisheries and aquaculture is also playing a role in the uplift of the of sector and have mission to provide excellence in higher education, training, research and development, services in the fields of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. He said these efforts will contribute to economic and social development of the country. He urged collaboration of academia and fish industry that is ultimate key to promote fisheries and aquaculture sector in the country.
Prof Dr Saima highlighted the importance of the fisheries sector, awareness about the fish-eating habits. There is a need to work on the fish disease and other challenges in fish sector including water pollutions she added.
Later Dr Muhammad Hafeez-ur-Rehman along with Dr Muhammad Abid led the walk while a large number of students and faculty members were participated. At the end of seminar Dr Muhammad Abid, Prof Dr Saima along with Dr Muhammad Hafeez-ur-Rehman distributed the prizes among the winners of business idea competition.
