Demands raised before committee appointed by Fisheries Department

Fish farmers have urged the government to provide quality fishlings and fish feed to promote aquaculture in agricultural fields. The farmers raised their demands at a meeting convened here on Thursday by a 12-member committee appointed by the Fisheries Department to formulate policies to promote sustainable aquaculture in pokkali and kole lands.

Steady increase in extent of fish tanks as well as quantum of inland fishing. More and more farmers in East Godavari district are shifting to aquaculture if the steady increase in the extent of fish tanks as well as the quantum of inland fishing in the district is any indication.

Similarly, the fluctuations in the catch from the sea is giving strength to the argument that industrialisation along the coast is resulting in extinction of fish and other species and posing a threat to the livelihood of traditional fishermen.

Shillong: The Meghalaya State Aquaculture Mission has received nearly 40,000 applications from individual fish farmers across the state to partner with the state government in attaining self-suffic

The government is planning to spend . 100 crore for promoting inland fisheries and aquaculture in the country.

SHILLONG: To control the spread of malaria the State Government proposes to introduce larvivorous fishes popularly known as ‘mosquito fishes’ in a big way. Meghalaya continues to have high incidence of malaria especially in Garo Hills and parts of Khasi Jaintia Hills.

“We will conduct a detailed study on the efficacy of larvivorous fishes to control the spread of malaria since these fish feed on mosquito larvae. If this option proves effective in controlling the spread of malaria then it would provide the Government with an alternative to control the disease,

Not only is the mackerel size getting smaller but trawlers are catching mackerel with eggs which means there is no chance for them to reproduce. Rejuvenation of fish is not happening as trawlers fish even during the breeding season.”

In the southern states, large quantities of juveniles fishes are being caught and discarded since they have no commercial value. The economic loss of the juvenile fish by a single trawler in Kerala coast has been estimated at `28 lakhs.