Assam making good strides in breeding of native, exotic ornamental fish
- Jul 22, 2021,
- Updated Jul 22, 2021, 12:21 AM IST
GUWAHATI: The Integrated Ornamental Fish Farming Unit at Assam, Gauhati University's Aquaculture and Biodiversity Centre, Department of Zoology is making significant progress in the production of native and exotic ornamental Fish.
Set up with support from the National Fisheries Development Board, Hyderabad and Aquaculture and Biodiversity Centre and the State Fisheries Department, the Integrated Ornamental Fish Farming Unit is making headway in the production of indigenous ornamental fish of different species.
Managing Director, FISHFED, Dr. Dhrubajyoti Sharma, who has been associated with the project since its very inception, said that it has been a story of success insofar as production of indigenous fish of different species is concerned.
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Assam: Integrated Ornamental Fish Farming
A total of 70 species of ornamental value have been procured from different locations of Assam and other states of North East Region and reared in natural habitat in nine ponds covering an area of 16 acres under the National Development Fisheries Board's Rs.1.36 crore funded project.
The brooder's bank for ornamental fish houses 70 aquariums, 10 cisterns, carp hatchery, air breathing fish hatchery unit and a laboratory. Six units of modified ornamental fish hatcheries have been installed with facilities like ozone generator, oxygen concentrators with an overhead tank to ensure infection free water for the brooders.
"The Fish brooder bank helps to produce quality and improved fish seed in substantial quantity to fish farmers as well as hatchery owners," said Fisheries Development Officer attached to Minister Fisheries, Pratul Deka.
Dr.Sharma said that Assam with its vast water resources in the form of rivers, water bodies and ponds have immense potential for production and trading of indigenous ornamental fish to different parts of the world.
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Annual trade for exotic ornamental fish for the Assam is estimated to be Rs.5 crore. About 90 per cent exotic fish species are coming from Kolkata. Under the pilot project, five selected native ornamental fish and 10 exotic ornamental fish having good market demand have been taken up for breeding and rearing and in which breeding technologies have been already standardised.
“Efforts are on to support our farmers through a scientific breeding programme that enhances the physical attributes of the fish, the very attributes which make it worthy of participation in a beauty pageant, the returns of which could be more than one multiple of 5,000," said Deka.
"The advantage Assam possesses with abundant water resources will surely open a sea of opportunities for us to diversify our farming to include ornamental fish. It is more than a viable option, even for small scale and landless farmers, women, self-help groups and cooperatives," said Dr.Sharma, adding that farming ornamental fish is equally remunerative for small as also big units industry," Deka added.