Singapore’s first urban fish farm in a container launched in Tampines
Apart from jade perch, five other species of fish have been shortlisted for farming in this recirculating aquaculture system – barramundi, red snapper, hybrid grouper, tilapia and murray cod.
By Lynda Hong
Straits Times
Nov 19, 2023
Excerpt:
The Tampines Round Market and Food Centre Merchants’ Association will be collaborating with local fishmongers to sell the jade perch, which can fetch up to $38 per kilogram.
Fish will be sold to fishmongers at cost price for this community project.
Speaking at the launch, Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister for Health Masagos Zulkifli, who is anchor minister for Tampines GRC, said: “The Tampines community is already showing strong support for the container fish farm project, not only from residents but businesses as well. We have received numerous applications from the public offering to assist with the container farm.”
Mr Masagos officiated the launch along with three other Tampines GRC MPs – Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Koh Poh Koon, Mayor of North East District Desmond Choo and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment Baey Yam Keng.
He said Tampines is actively supporting local farms’ projects by identifying underutilised spaces where climate-resilient and resource-efficient urban farming methods can be tested and implemented.
Successful partnerships have resulted in projects like a tilapia fish farm in Tampines Park and a rooftop vegetable farm at a multi-storey carpark.
The two partners behind the container fish farm, aquaculture company Aqualita Ecotechnology and Tampines Town Council, are looking to gauge consumers’ interest in fish grown in the container fish farm.
A spin-off company from Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL), Aqualita engineered the containerised fish farm system with some components and technologies owned by TLL.
Aqualita is also looking to further understand the health of jade perch, particularly its nutritional needs, said the start-up’s director of technology Goh Chin Heng.
In particular, the project aims to develop feed to hasten the growth of jade perch from six months to five months – or even one month.
