Singapore’s calm and sheltered waters may be a haven for fish farming ventures-which will become more important as oceans are depleted due to over-fishing.

A sign of the future can be found south of Pulau Semakau, where Singapore’s largest commercial fish farm has started to supply its seabass to local restaurants and supermarkets.

From the “super fry” engineered by local marine scientists, Barramundi Asia began harvesting the fish from its 14 sea cages in October as they reached the desired weight of about 1 kg each.  It has harvested 80 tonnes so far.

Barramundi Asia will generate 500 tonnes of fish this year and has a target of 3,000 tonnes a year by 2012, which would represent about 86 percent of Singapore’s current local fish production and 3 per cent of total fish consumption.

The company was granted a licence by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) in May last year to farm fish in the designated waters off landfill site Pulau Semakau.  It aims to set up a second fish farm in the area to produce another 3,000 tonnes by 2020, and to look at supplying other varieties such as red snapper.

Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan said the Government wants to increase local fish production from 4 per cent to 15 per cent of consumption-about 15,000 tonnes of fish- and will require another four or five farms the size of Barramundi Asia.