Tag: species

Fisheries sector infrastructure improves under Trinamool

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on Fisheries sector infrastructure improves under Trinamool

The State Fisheries Department has endeavoured to give every manner of infrastructural help to fishermen, including fish research facilities to increase yield and to experiment on newer and more profitable species.

Storage infrastructure: As part of the ‘cold chain scheme’, the department has been sanctioned money for the construction of cold storages and, through the distribution of bicycles with insulated boxes, the development of transit and terminal markets, including retail outlets. Eight cold storages and six ice plants have been constructed.

Khuti societies: The State Government provides financial aid for the development of khuti societies, that is, fish drying centres. A total of 53 khuti societies in Contai and Diamond Harbour benefit from this aid. Considering essential aspects, the aid includes money for the operation and maintenance of the khutis or fish drying centres, including wages for khuti attendants and sweepers, development of khuti infrastructure like link roads, submersible pumps, solar lights, fish-drying platforms and bamboo structures, supply of hygienic materials and small equipments, and the repair of tube-wells.

Fishing harbours and fish landing centres: Under the department, there are seven minor fishing harbours and 13 fish landing centres. The entry channel at Kakdwip Harbour has been completed. Benfish has constructed modernised fish markets in Kalyani (Nadia district), Bolpur (Birbhum district), Uluberia (Howrah district) and Gangarampur (Dakshin Dinajpur district). Five fish landing centres have been recently constructed benefiting 8,700 fishermen in Indrapur, Satyadaspur, Kantamari, Raidighi/Domkal, Kheyaghat and Namkhana in South 24 Parganas.

Hatchery accreditation: Nineteen hatcheries have been constructed to ensure production of quality fish seed, and 231 hatcheries have been accredited.

Fish markets: Ten fish markets have been constructed – fish seed markets in Sinhati (Bankura district) and Rajendrapur (North 24 Parganas), wholesale and retail fish markets in Haldibari (Cooch Behar), Bolpur (Birbhum), Kalyani (Nadia), Fuleshwar (Howrah) and Udayrampur (South 24 Parganas), Nalban International Ornamental Fish Market, Kantamari (South 24 Parganas) and Jharkhali (South 24 Parganas) markets. Besides these, the upgrading of the wholesale fish market in Howrah is in progress.

Fish research centres: The department is setting up block-level laboratory-cum-training centres for testing water and soil of water bodies to determine suitability for pisciculture. So far 308 have been built; another 25 have been sanctioned. Research on fish and fisheries is being conducted at Pailan Research Centre in South 24 Parganas. At the Fresh Water Research Centre in Kulia near Kalyani in Nadia district, research is being carried out on production of seeds of freshwater fish, including endangered species, ornamental or aquarium fish, etc. The latter has a high export value. Rural women are being trained on ornamental fishery.

Hilsa production & research: To combat the issue of the decline in the catch of hilsa over the past decade, a dedicated Hilsa Conservation and Research Centre (HCRC) has been established at Sultanpur, Diamond Harbour, in collaboration with the Norwegian research institute, Norwegian Institute of Food Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (NOFIMA).

Brackish water fishery: The Government provides substantial aid for increasing the production of fish in regions of brackish water, mainly found in the Sundarbans delta.

The above facts prove that the Trinamool Congress Government is committed to the all-round development of the fisheries sector.

Developments undertaken by the Fisheries Department in the last seven years

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on Developments undertaken by the Fisheries Department in the last seven years

The State Fisheries Department has undertaken various programmes for the development of the fisheries sector across Bengal. It is leading a balanced approach by enhancing fish production and thus ensuring nutritious food for all. Simultaneously, it is looking after the sustainability of fisher-folk by ensuring the adoption of sustainable methods of fishing and fish production.

This approach has brought about considerable poverty alleviation. The Panchayats Department is also actively involved with the Fisheries Department on a few aspects.

Aquaculture: Bengal has achieved remarkable results in both the inland fishery and marine fishery sectors. During financial year (FY) 2017-18, the production of fish was 17.42 lakh metric tonnes (MT), a substantial increase over the 2010-11 figures, the last year of the Left Front rule.

Fish seeds: During 2017-18, production of fish seeds was 2,017.7 crore, again a big increase from 2010-11. Fingerlings, numbering 1,700 lakh, have been distributed in about 1.21 lakh water bodies from 2011-12 to 2017-18. Bengal also caters to a huge 40 per cent of the country’s demand for fish seeds.

Fish feed: Nutritionally balanced floating feed is being supplied free of cost since 2014-15. Till 2017-18, 27,000 metric tonnes (MT) of ­fish feed has been supplied to about 14,000 ­fish farmers.

Conservation of indigenous local ­fish: To conserve local indigenous fish species, steps have been taken to introduce indigenous fish (ie, pabda, saral punti, deshi tangra, mourala, chital, folui, etc.) in bheels, backyard water bodies, etc. Special emphasis has been given for increasing production of deshi magur.

Introduction of new species: Culture of many new species like silver pompano, nona tangra, cobia, chanos (milk fish) and marine crab has been introduced in brackish water during the last seven years. The culture of boroli is now also being attempted in the freshwater bodies of south Bengal.

Moyna Model and its replication:For augmenting the production of fish, a new model called Moyna Model was adopted during FY 2017-18. Its prime objective is the culture of mainly rohu, catla and mrigel at the rate of 12,000 kg (12 MT) per hectare per year in the seven districts of Cooch Behar, Murshidabad, Dakshin Dinajpur, North 24 Parganas, Nadia, Howrah and South 24 Parganas as well as in Kalyani Fish Farm in Baro Sagar Dighi (Nadia district).Model fish farms have been identified covering 90 hectares of water bodies, along with 113 progressive farmers.

Export:Achievements in the export sector have also been quite significant under the Trinamool Congress Government. From 61,709 MT of fish worth Rs 1,734 crore during FY 2011-12, the figures reached 1,04,762 MT worth Rs 4,455.74 crore during FY 2016-17.

 

Thus, Bengal is marching ahead towards not only self-sufficiency in fish production but substantial contribution towards exports too.