African Regional Aquaculture Centre (ARAC)

Ansa Ebinimi Joseph

Director Of ARAC

The African Regional Aquaculture Centre (ARAC) is a Department of the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR). It was established in 1980 with the assistance of FAO/UNDP for Training and Research in Aquaculture. Since 1987, ARAC has been an outstation of NIOMR and in 2020, it was upgraded to a department. The Centre is located at Omuihuechi Aluu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Facilities at ARAC include over 100 experimental, nursery and production ponds, fish kilns, fish health laboratory, nutrition laboratory, fish hatchery, water and soil quality analyses laboratory, feed-mill, poultry and piggery integrated with fish and crop farms. Other infrastructure at ARAC include three-storey administrative block, staff residential quarters, and 22 – room hostel.

Mandate

Train senior aqua culturists required for planning and implementation of aquaculture development programmes in Africa.
Undertake applied multi-disciplinary research for solving problems encountered in small, medium and large-scale applications of selected systems of national and regional importance.
Train extension officers/agents and fish farmers on short-term problem-solving oriented courses.
Conduct vocational training in Fisheries, Mariculture, Aquaculture and Oceanography for sustainability.
Conduct research on the biodiversity and genetic improvement of marine and brackish water living resources in Nigeria.
Carry out research on the abundance, distribution, and biology of aquatic resources in Nigerian fresh, brackish and marine ecosystems.
Develop appropriate methods of handling, preservation, utilization, and value addition of fin and shellfish species.

ARAC is mandated to:

Train senior aquaculturists required for planning and implementation of aquaculture development programmes in Africa.
Undertake applied multi-disciplinary research for solving problems encountered in small, medium and large scale applications of selected systems of national and regional importance.
Train extension officers/agents and fish farmers on short-term problem-solving oriented courses.
Conduct vocational training in Fisheries, Mariculture, Aquaculture and Oceanography for sustainability.

Conduct research on the biodiversity and genetic improvement of marine and brackish water living resources in Nigeria.
Carry out research on the abundance, distribution, and biology of aquatic resources in Nigerian fresh, brackish and marine ecosystems.
Develop appropriate methods of handling, preservation, utilization, and value addition of fin and shellfish species.

ARAC Collaborations

Training of fish smokers, fish farmers, fishermen and investors on improved fish smoking techniques using the NIOMR-WAAPP smoking kiln in riverine at Brass and Nembe LGAs, Bayelsa State sponsored by Market Development in the Niger Delta (MADE/DAI) in collaboration with African Regional Aquaculture Centre (ARAC) from 1st June to 12th June 2015.
Aquaculture Entrepreneurial trainer for Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) under ARAC-NDDC collaboration for training of fish farmers in Niger Delta region. 2011 – till date
Training prospective fish farmers in water quality management, fry rearing, fish seed propagation, fish feed production, culture techniques and levels of operation in fish farming, fish harvesting, preservation, and processing techniques. ARAC Training funded by the Office of the Chairman Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and conducted in Trofani, Angalabiri, Ofoni, Toru-Orua, Bulu-Orua, Tungbo, Tombia, Aluu, Agoro, Abare and several other communities. 2010 – 2011
Design and establishment of Regional Integrated Aquaculture Training Centre in Collaboration with Plan Nigeria Ltd for Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) at Ubima. (ARAC PROJECT) 2009 – 2011
Baseline studies and feasibility report on EPNL 17 – host communities in Egi District of Rivers State for Elf Petroleum Nigeria Limited (ARAC PROJECT) 2005
Design, Construction and Establishment of an Oyster Farm using the indigenous oyster species – Crassostrea gasar at Okpoama, Bayelsa State, for the Green River Project of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company. 2002 -2003
Training prospective fish farmers in water quality management, fry rearing, integrated fish farming, poultry and piggery management, rice cum fish production, culture techniques and levels of operation in fish farming. ARAC Training was funded by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company and conducted in Okpoama, Brass, Obama, Clough Creek, Ogboinbiri, Tebidaba all located in the rural swamp area of Bayelsa State. Jan. – Jun. 2001
Site selection for the establishment of aquaculture projects in various localities in Bayelsa State namely: Brass, Akakumama, Okpoama for the Green River Project of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company. 2001
National Agriculture Research Project (NARP), Survey of the Brass River System. In collaboration with the University of Port Harcourt 1996
Training of fish farmers in Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) upland locations namely: Obie, Rivers State; Akri, Imo State; Kwale, Delta State; on water quality, pond enrichment by ARAC/NIOMR for Green River Project of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company. 1997
Collaboration between ARAC and Bridge of Hope Development Centre for Entrepreneurial and Agric-preneurial training of young female fish farmers in Gokana, Khana, Tai and Eleme Local Government Areas in Rivers State.
Collaboration between ARAC and Centre for Entrepreneurial Development, University of Port Harcourt for the training of host community youth on improved fish smoking and packaging technology (August 2019)

Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR), is a multidisciplinary marine research institute and Nigeria’s prime institute for Marine Sciences.

Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research