August 12, 2009

A group of Ecuadorian technicians will help their Venezuelan colleagues in the production of shrimp and fish feed, and obtaining byproducts from cachama such as sausages, fish fingers and filet.

Venezuelan vice-minister of Agricultural Economy, Richard Canan, announced that a delegation from Ecuador visited several Venezuelan production units, where they identified the potential of these companies for production increase through the development of feed that guarantees the growth of fish in local lagoons.

Ecuador boasted a technology in the shrimp production area of 170,000 hectares, compared to 5,000 or 6,000 hectares that produced fish, Ecuador's Aquaculture Secretary Jose Centenaro said.

Through that visit, they could confirm a management model that had been implemented by the Venezuelan community and the decisions collectively taken in favour of fishers, aquaculturists, workers of the Social Production Units, adjacent communities and consumers, he added.

In addition, the Ministry of Popular Power for Agriculture and Lands (MPPAT) pledged to work on the development of cages and marine space projects, in a bid to increase production in the coastal area.

Authorities from both countries also seek to establish the fishing and aquaculture company Grannacional as part of a project of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA).

This company is expected to strengthen the fishing and aquaculture sectors of both nations and create new chains of commercialisation that will assist in having the final product reach the most vulnerable communities in the South.

During the visit of the Ecuadorian delegation several agreements were signed, one of which refers to a herring production cooperation, said Gilberto Gimenez, president of the Socialist Fisheries and Aquaculture Institute (INSOPESCA).

Gimenez said they are on their way to strengthening their countries' fishing and aquaculture sectors, and the challenge Venezuela faces is to implement all written plans.