Lothan Cousins, shadow minister for agriculture and water, is calling for Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Floyd Green to urgently address the severe shortage of red tilapia fingerlings in the island.

According to Cousins, the shortage is seriously affecting fish farmers, who are struggling with their fish farms as a result of the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement yesterday, Cousins said fingerlings have been unavailable for some time now, causing severe hardship to many in the fish farming sector.

SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM FARMERS

He said the continued shortage threatens the survival of small fish farmers and could lead to a permanent fallout in their numbers.

Cousins said he had received several complaints from farmers that their production has been constrained because of the Fisheries Division’s inability to supply them with fingerlings.

Cousins said from the information available to him, the farmers have submitted orders to the Fisheries Division but have received no further communication from the Ministry on the timing of the supply of fingerlings.

The shadow minister also called for expanded arrangements to supply quality fingerlings to the market and questioned how the ministry could be serious about growing local food and protein production when this shortage has persisted for months.