UGM researchers have initiated the development of silver rasbora fish rearing.
Animal Structure Laboratory and Development of Faculty of Biology UGM has conducted a community service program to sustain silver rasbora fish which is a source of food commodity and earnings for many.
“Silver rasbora fish has been chosen because it’s a native Indonesian fish that has a big economic potential,” said Dr. Bambang Retnoaji, M.Sc., team chairman, on Wednesday (2/10).
He said currently there were many culinary business ventures selling this fish which is considered as tasty and drawing interests from many people. The high demand, however, has made the exploitation of the fish very high. Such exploitation has not been balanced by the right conservation which, he said, might threaten the existence of the fish. Currently, it is getting harder to find this fish.
Since 2013, the team has worked on the project. In 2014 a field team led by Lutfi Nur Hidayat M.Sc. was formed.
He said silver rasbora fish has a high economic potential as it has a relatively short period of rearing between 6-8 weeks. It does not need a wide pond to grow, is very adaptive to the local water condition and resistant to environmental changes and disease.
“The price of the fish is promising, which is 30,000/kg raw and 150 thousand/kg when cooked,” he said.
Currently, the lab is partnering with Santan Mina Lestari farmer group to cultivate the fish, funded by community service funds from the Ministry of Higher Education in 2019. The cooperation started with distributing the fish to fish centers in Bejiharjo, Cangkringan, and Wonocatur areas. It is expected that the fish can be a trademark of the Faculty of Biology UGM by way of encouraging the fish breeders in Yogyakarta to cultivate this fish.
For further development, quality maintenance is done at the local Marine and Fisheries Agency of Sleman regency.
“What we need to think next is how to increase the sale price of the fish. So, next we need to cooperate with small and medium businesses to make fish chips in Kulon Progo,” he concluded.
