DR becomes the largest breeder of tilapia fish in the Caribbean

Dolores

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The Hydroelectric Generation Enterprise (EgeHID) announces it has released more than 200,000 fish into the waters of the Jigüey Dam in San Cristóbal. Included are 60 fish that were ready to spawn.

EgeHID reports that the release is part of an ambitious social responsibility program started by the agency in all of the country’s dams. General administrator of EgeHID Rafael Salazar explains in a press release that the plan is to considerably increase freshwater fish production. Engineer Salazar says the Presidency is promoting the programs to develop rural communities.

The program is under the responsibility of the Forestry Promotion Management of the Environmental Management Division of EGEHID. The species of fishes being released are the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.), common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and and mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio).

As reported in...

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jstarebel

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Oct 4, 2013
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I applaud the DR's efforts with introducing Tilapia and farming. I hope you don't mind me adding to this post with a link showing a more complete breakdown of the nutritional breakdown of Tilapia. It also includes possible dangers from the farming process and the issues from excessive fats and inflammation issues that have been noted from eating this fish. NOTE that the majority of the bad press regarding Tilapia are from Chinese products. I'm sure these issues will not be a problem in the DR.

 

etolw

Banned
Oct 6, 2018
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Never underestimate the power of salt! I use tons of it literally :giggle:

After reading all that negative press salt has had, I asked my doctor on a regular check if I should reduce intake.
He looked at the tests and said no problem, you can continue with your salt intake.
 

Caonabo

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Sep 27, 2017
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In the last three years, I've had six persons come to me looking for investment sponsorship on such projects.
I politely declined.
 

etolw

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What happens to the natural ecosystem when you introduce that amount of new fish into the dams?

Are they just increasing species that was there before in lesser quantities?

I am also getting better conscience regarding my meat consumption by reading this thread
 
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etolw

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I have stopped bying salmon, very rare I get quality product. Very pricey here and often taste garbage too. Do not know which farms they buy from.

I would believe your tilapia taste much better than some of the salmon I have bought
 

aarhus

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I have stopped bying salmon, very rare I get quality product. Very pricey here and often taste garbage too. Do not know which farms they buy from.

I would believe your tilapia taste much better than some of the salmon I have bought
What about bacalao. Isn’t that imported from Norway ?
 
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etolw

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What about bacalao. Isn’t that imported from Norway ?
Funny you asked. That is about the only fish I have been eaten this year, apart from some fish I have caught myself outside Encuentro beach.
Yes I select the Norwegian bacalao, and that is normally the one they sell too. I have nothing to complain about bacalao noruego.
 

etolw

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Some of the catch and the boat owner, I guess many dominicans do not need the tilapao when they just can go outside and fish in the sea.
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Ecoman1949

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I’m surprised they transplanted Carp along with the Tilapia. Carp are prolific breeders and can reduce the breeding ability of other species. Transplanting species in man made dam headwaters is always risky. Some species thrive while others diminish. I’ve seen significant financial resources wasted during attempts to transplant trout and salmon. The rush to farm species like salmon has resulted in massive stock kills due to water temperature super cooling or disease. Farmed fish are fed food pellets which sink to the bottom and create pollution problems. Penned fish have to be de-liced with pesticides which contaminate bottom sediment. The accidental release of farmed species into the wild is also a problem. Tuna farms have had limited success. Small tuna were collected and placed in holding pens and fed until they were a marketable size for Japanese markets for a period of time in my area but that eventually fizzled out. Cod farming is still in the experimental stages. Regarding the quality and taste, farmed species cannot compare to the better quality and taste of species caught in the wild. I hope the new DR government transplanting program is successfull but I have my doubts.
 

Ecoman1949

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The elephant in the room here is chemical contamination of resident species in the dam headwaters. When dams are built and the headwaters and lakes are created, toxic chemicals such as natural occurring mercury buried in the flooded bottom overburden are released. Mercury, a neurotoxin, enters the water column and gets taken up by the feeding fish. Their fatty tissue absorbs the chemicals and the concentrations increase over time. I’ve monitored this effect in two hydroelectric projects over the years. The commercial and recreational fisheries were shut down in both areas until the levels dropped to a safe number. I don’t know if the DR Environment and Fisheries departments have chemical contamination monitoring plans in place. I doubt it. If that is the case, then it’s buyer beware. It will take a few years for the transplanted populations to reach harvest levels so, health wise, the concern is not immediate. As a consumer of fish in the DR, I always ask about the type of fish and where it was caught. I’ve stopped at Maimon a few times for fish but the best DR fish I’ve had was at two restaurants, one near Luperon on the highway to La Isabella, goes by the name Olivia’s I think, and the other is owned by a retired military officer on the La Isabella beach. You call or drop by and order your fish in advance and it’s caught wild and fresh. I prefer my fish poached because I enjoy the taste of fresh fish. Deep frying and battering fish alters the taste. My favourite is fresh Atlantic cod, cheap and readily available where I live. I put layers of fillets in a covered baking dish, olive oil, Greek seasoning, and my favourite bbq sauce on each layer and bake 350 to 400 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. A simple but tasty dish. Now, if I had a frio Boheme Grande to wash it down with, I’d be a happier man.
 

aarhus

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Jun 10, 2008
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And whats with the pescado Loro which is now illegal to catch ? Looks very exotic. I have seen Dominicans post about it recently on FB