Poland’s Milicz Ponds group has launched an investment to revitalise its fish ponds covering an area of 76 square kilometres, reports Jaroslaw Adamowski.
The group says that the latest investment has allowed it to purchase new aquaculture equipment with the aim of increasing its fish production and intensifying environmental protection of the ponds. The ponds are aiming to reach a fish production capacity of some 2,500t of carp and about 700t of other fish species.
Emilia Szczęsna, director of marketing at the Milicz Ponds, said that the latest investment is worth about PLN10m (US$3.2m).
“The ponds have not been revitalised nor recultivated for some 20 years,” Ms Szczęsna told WF&A. “The investment will allow us to completely overhaul the ponds.”
Meanwhile, the group says it is also planning to launch a fish processing facility. Under the plan, the new plant will have an initial processing capacity of 25t of fish per year.
Construction works at the plant are expected to be completed by October 2013, Ms Szczęsna said.
The group says that the purchase of new equipment was financed by its own funds. The ponds have also acquired grant money provided by the European Union’s Cohesion Fund to carry out a number of other investments in overhauling their infrastructure.
Located about 50km from the Polish city of Wrocław, Milicz Ponds group is owned by the authoritities of the country’s region of Lower Silesia (Dolnośląskie). The ponds are part of the Living Ponds network.
