One of the new initiatives is to increase the supply of locally produced, genetically-superior eggs and fingerlings while upgrading local hatchery capabilities.
According to the Singapore Food Agency’s 2023 food statistics, there were a total of 131 local aquaculture farms – including 98 sea-based seafood farms and 33 land-based seafood farms – which produced 7.3 per cent of seafood consumed in 2023. Having high-quality eggs and fingerlings, or baby fish, is crucial to the aquaculture production value chain, according to the new plan.
Mr Mak Wah Weng, 60, director of local fish farm Millenia Farm, said that if the fingerlings developed by the facility are of good quality, it will be of great help to fish farmers like him because the current fingerlings supplied by the local industry cannot survive for long.To address this, SFA will, under the new plan, help to facilitate the export of six species of locally farmed fish to China.
The other MOU is with local caterer Hewtop Catering to supply it with locally farmed produce such as vegetables and fish.Another key aspect of the new plan is the effort to balance increased productivity with environmental considerations. However, under the new plan, the environmental impact of a farm will be assessed based on the amount of nutrients – such as nitrates, sulphates and phosphorus – it releases into the water.
Dr Toh emphasised the significance of having such an approach in place to address potential issues swiftly. For instance, if a farm releases more nutrients than allowed, the approach allows for rapid intervention or enforcement measures to be implemented as necessary.