April 16, 2014
New aquaculture parks to be established in Brazil
The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MPA) of Brazil announced plans to create three fish farms in waters of the state of Tocantins with capacity to produce more than 112,000 tonnes annually.
Minister Eduardo Lopes visited the cities of Peixe and São Salvador do Tocantins together with the state governor, Sandoval Cardoso; the national secretary of Aquaculture, Maria Fernanda Nince, and state secretaries.
There, the head of the MPA said they are now finalising the details for publishing two concession rules for granting aquaculture parks at the power plants of Peixe Angical and São Salvador, and in the remaining areas of Lageado Hydroelectric Plant.
Peixe Angical power plant is located on the Tocantins River, between the municipalities of São Salvador and Peixe, and has an area of 294 square kilometres and an average depth of 10 metres.
According to the National Water Agency (ANA), the area is capable of producing about 44,500 tonnes of fish per year.
The central plant of São Salvador is also located on the Tocantins River, between the municipalities of Paraná, Palmeirópolis and São Salvador. It is located at about 80 kilometres from Peixe Angical and has about 104 square km and a depth of 10 metres and has a capacity to produce about 27,300 tonnes of fish per year.
In both areas, the government authorised the cultivation of pacu, bogue (piauçu), lambari, tambaquí , pirarara and arapaima, said the MPA.
It is expected that the three new parks to be built provide about 42,000 tonnes more fish to the production of Troncantis state.