Photo credit: Gideon Gicheru (Kenya)
Review: Gideon Gicheru and Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the website)
According to FAO statistics, the contribution of tilapia in total aquaculture is almost consistent with a very narrow range from 72.8% to 74.7% during the period from 2010 to 2016, whereas in tonnage tilapia aquaculture produced 9115, 166602, 16115, 17626, 18072, 13991 and 11180 tons over seven years from 2010 to 2016 bearing in mind that Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is the only tilapia species cultured in Kenya.
Such development in aquaculture and in particular in tilapia aquaculture necessitated a high demand of quality fish seed for Nile tilapia in sufficient numbers produced in a large number of hatcheries located in various parts of Kenya.
Typically, operating hatcheries in Kenya keep the broodfish for three years before replacing it with a new stock. The broodfish are usually obtained either from other hatcheries or collected from the wild. The inserted picture was taken at the shore of Lake Victoria, (Obaria Beach) Homabay County whereas the staff from Kisii County fish hatchery are ready to collect Nile Tilapia broodfish.