Life on Planet A

#65: Fish Farming for Future in PNG with Associate Prof. Jes Sammut

Heidi and Bella Season 3 Episode 65

This week we're transporting you to the lush, wandering hills and palm tree horizons of Papua New Guinea. Here, we'll discover some tiny freshwater fish ponds that are providing huge social and economic benefits to the local communities. All of this amazing work is made possible by our guest Associate Professor Jes Sammut and his teams and collegues at the University of New South Wales, ACIAR, ANSTO and the Papua New Guinean National Fisheries Authority (NFA).

You'll learn:

  • What does freshwater fish farming in PNG look like? 
  • How are fish ponds putting an end to violence and tribal warfare?
  • How prisoners are learning to farm fish and the huge change this is making in their lives.

Acroynyms used in the episode:
PNG = Papua New Guinea
ACIAR = Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
ANSTO =  Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
NFA = Papua New Guinean National Fisheries Authority

Useful links:

  • Watch this video to learn how aquaculture is changing lives in PNG - Heidi and I watched many many times!!
  • Learn more about the Fish for Prisons Program
  • Building research and project management skills in fisheries in staff in Papua New Guinea - Final Report by Janelle Allison
  • Read about the 2017 training program led by Professor Janelle Alison and UTAS that enabled fisheries officers to gain critical research skills.  
  • Read more of Jes' research
  • Keep up to date with the work of Jes and his team at the UNSW Aquaculture Research Group by following their Facebook page

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