Farming freshwater prawns

such as fertilizers and equipment. Smaller farms, of course, do not have such sophisticatedrequirements. However, these factors are still important, especially the availability ofgood storage facilities.CHOOSING YOUR SITE: LABOURSmall freshwater prawn farms can be successfully maintained by unskilled labour but outsideassistance from community (e.g. cooperative groups of farmers) and commercialsources (hatchery operators, feed suppliers, etc.), is necessary at times of stocking or harvesting.Larger farms require a competent, on-site manager. The amount of labour utilizedon freshwater prawn farms varies considerably. For example, it is estimated that a 40 hafarm needs two senior staff and six labourers. At the other extreme, one person should beable to take care of normal maintenance, including feeding but excluding harvesting, of a1-2 ha freshwater prawn farm. Often this type of farm is family owned and operated.CHOOSING YOUR SITE: SYMPATHETIC AUTHORITIESAND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCEYou should consider many other factors in selecting your farm site. These include the localand national government regulations concerning water usage and discharge, land use,movement of live animals, import of non-indigenous stocks (where M. rosenbergii is notalready present), disease monitoring, taxation, etc. In most countries where freshwaterprawn farming is technically and economically viable, these regulations are less restrictivethan those, for example, applying to the culture of temperate aquatic species in Europe andthe USA; the governments concerned are keen to encourage freshwater prawn farming.You should ask the advice of your local inland fisheries department, whose officers shouldbe helpful and anxious to participate in your project. In some countries there may be NGOsthat can provide the assistance that you need. The ease of access to assistance and advicewhen the farm is in operation is an important factor in site selection. No matter how competentyou are, there will come a time when you need help, such as water analysis, diseasediagnosis, and technical advice. These types of assistance can be obtained from government,university and private sources. Do not site your farm too far from someone who canheed your cries of “help!”. Speedy access to qualified personnel and to well-equipped laboratoriesis invaluable. You should always keep in touch with local fisheries officers but donot expect them to know all the answers. No one does!FRESHWATER PRAWNS26