LIVE WORMS FOR FANCY FISH

Inche Abdul Aziz Karim asked the Minister for Law and National Development (a) if he is aware that fancy fish breeders and hobbyists are having difficulty in obtaining live worms from local sources since the recent anti-mosquito campaign was started; and (b) if he will instruct the Primary Production Department to undertake the breeding of worms under controlled conditions to restore the local supply of live worms to meet the requirements of our fancy fish breeders and hobbyists, in view of the export earning capacity of fancy fish.

The Minister for Law and National Development (Mr E. W. Barker): Mr Speaker, Sir, the current shortage of worms is due not so much to the anti-mosquito campaign but rather to the rapid increase in the demand for worms as more and more people breed fancy fish either for their own enjoyment or for export.

The Primary Production Department has been conducting experiments in tubi-fex worm cultivation since 1967. Successful techniques have been evolved to enable fancy fish breeders to produce their own worms. The techniques have been taught to interested parties and demonstration units have been set up at Lim Chu Kang and Sembawang veterinary centres. In fact, many aquarium fish hobbyists and exporters are now producing tubi-fex worms on their own. Those who are interested should apply to the Primary Production Department for a demonstration of the technique of worm production.

Inche Abdul Aziz Karim: Mr Speaker, Sir, will the Minister encourage further the breeding of worms so that fish breeders and hobbyists will not find it difficult to get worms?

Mr Barker: The Primary Production Department will encourage the breeding of worms. For those who do not know how to breed them, the Department will be only too pleased to give them a demonstration of the technique of tubi-fex worm production.

Inche Abdul Aziz Karim: Mr Speaker. Sir, is the Minister aware that worms are now being imported from across the Causeway?

Mr Barker: Yes, and I do not see any objection to such imports. We have in the past imported worms even from Japan.

Inche Abdul Aziz Karim: Will the Minister give us some assurance that we will be self-sufficient in worms?

Mr Barker: I cannot give the Member that assurance. The only assurance I can give is that the Primary Production Department itself, whilst not producing worms on its own, is prepared to show fish hobbyists how they can go about producing worms.