Speaking at the event, Prof. Dr. Talat Naseer Pasha noted that Pakistan’s fisheries sector has significant potential and offers numerous investment opportunities.
The two-day International Fisheries & Aquaculture Conference & Expo 2023, hosted by Punjab University (PU) in a local Lahore hotel, is actively being attended by the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore.
While Vice-Chancellor University of Education Prof. Dr. Talat Naseer Pasha was the conference’s chief guest, Vice-Chancellor University of Baltistan, Skardu Prof. Dr. Naeem Khan, Director General Fisheries Punjab Dr. Sikander Hayyat, and Organizing Secretary of the Conference Prof. Dr. Noor Khan, as well as a significant number of fish farmers, representatives from the fish feed industries, faculty members, and students, attended the conference’s opening ceremony.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Dr. Talat Naseer Pasha noted that Pakistan’s fisheries sector has significant potential and offers numerous investment opportunities.
He claimed that the conference had given national and international scientists, experts, and stakeholders a useful forum to come together under one roof and exchange experiences and cutting-edge scientific knowledge in the field of fisheries and aquaculture.
He hoped that the conference would undoubtedly advance scientific understanding for the community of fish farmers, the fish feed industry, and professionals. He also hoped that this cutting-edge knowledge would be very helpful in the formulation of future policies to advance Pakistan’s fisheries and aquaculture industries.
Fish is a reasonably priced source of protein, according to Prof. Dr. Nasim, who was speaking to the audience. For the purpose of providing students with the practical knowledge they need today, UVAS established a fish hatchery and a fish processing facility.
According to him, such conferences are essential for sharing cutting-edge knowledge and skills, especially to strengthen networking on a national and international level.
He said UVAS focuses on producing skilled graduates who perform their services as human resources to boost the food, dairy, poultry, fisheries, and pharmaceutical industries, as well as playing a key role in supplying safe, healthy food.
He counselled the planners to form various groups focused on fish marketing, value addition, fish disease control, feed production, and challenges associated with feed costs in order to develop recommendations.
This would be a crucial step in creating a future road map for Pakistan’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors. He urged promoting fish consumption year-round rather than just during the winter months.
The Fisheries & Aquaculture Expo, where various fish feed industries had set up a number of stalls, was later inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Talat Naseer Pasha. Prof. Dr. Nasim Ahmad, Prof. Dr. Talat Naseer Pasha, and other dignitaries of the conference stopped by various conference stalls and spoke with industry representatives. They also attended the event’s poster presentation.