
Aquatic produce:
The Jade Perch, from Australia, is a good candidate for pond-fish culture.
Locally cultured fish introduced
May 06, 2011
The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department has introduced local quality fish Jade Perch, a new culture species with good market potential, to fish farmers.
The Jade Perch, which is native to Queensland, Australia, is a good candidate for pond-fish culture. With its high nutritional value and high percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids, Jade Perch enjoys strong consumer acceptance throughout Asia.
All local fish farms culturing Jade Perch have been registered under the Accredited Fish Farm Scheme. The department launched the scheme to help fish farmers enhance the competitiveness of their local aquaculture products as well as to develop and promote local brand names for quality fish such as grey mullet and giant grouper.
Participating fish farms are required to adopt a set of good aquaculture practices, and quality assurance tests, including analyses of drug residues and heavy metals in fish, which are conducted to ensure all cultured fish meet food safety standards before they are sold in the market. All accredited fishery products carry tags bearing the label "Accredited Fish Farm Scheme" for easy recognition. Currently, a total of 100 fish farms have participated in the scheme.
The department will continue to assist local fish farmers in upgrading and developing fish-fry hatching and breeding techniques through the provision of technical support, training and trial schemes in collaboration with fish farmers.