World Aquaculture December 2018

WWW.WA S.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • DECEMBER 2018 53 ( C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 5 4 ) ( Hepsetus odoe ), and the benthic catfish ( Clarias sp.) dominated the harvest (Table 1, Fig. 4). Fish greater than ~50 mm TL were retained for consumption. A large number of smaller fish, dominated by tilapia recruits, were deemed too small and were not harvested. To increase production and management capabilities, the existing pond was transformed into two ponds in 2016. In March, during the dry season, the original pond was drained, cleared, staked and excavated using locally available materials and traditional methods: twine, wooden stakes, level, tape measure, machetes, shovels and wheel barrels (Figs. 5 and 6). All work was done by hand in equatorial heat and humidity for $4/day, without the assistance of unavailable earthmoving equipment or sophisticated instrumentation. A larger fish pond (0.21 ha) has been completed and an adjacent, smaller water reservoir pond (0.1 ha) is partially completed but must be deepened (Fig. 7). Concrete gates with wooden slats to control water flow into and out of the fish pond were added in June as the dry season ended and the rainy season began (Fig. 8). In December, FIGURE 4. Tilapia, African pike Hepsetus odoe and African catfish Clarias sp. were the dominant fish harvested at GUMM on 13 March 2013. Photo: Nadine Budrow. FIGURE 5. Liberians survey, stake, and prepare site for pond construction. Photo: Joe Buttner. FIGURE 6. Liberians slope and excavate the fish pond constructed at GUMM. Photo: Joe Buttner. FIGURE 7. Crew arrives to work on larger fish pond and adjacent smaller water reservoir pond. Photo: Joe Buttner. FIGURE 8. Concrete gates were constructed and are used to control water flow into the fish pond. Photo: Joe Buttner.