Tripura government to use abandoned water bodies to boost fish production

Tripura Fisheries Minister Sudhangshu Das announced that the government is taking measures to boost fish production in the state by utilizing abandoned water bodies, both public and private.

Das emphasized that the focus is on promoting scientifically-based fisheries in rural areas to make the state self-reliant in fish production. He made these statements while inaugurating a one-day state-level workshop on the 23rd National Fisheries Day at Nazrul Kalakendra in the Fatikroy Assembly Constituency.

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"We are determined to achieve self-reliance in fish production, which presents a significant challenge. Currently, the annual fish production in the state is 82,084 metric tons. While there has been an increase in fish production compared to previous years, we still rely on imports from Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Bangladesh to meet the demand. Due to the absence of large reservoirs and year-round water flow in rivers, we plan to convert abandoned water bodies, both public and private, across the state into suitable fish farming areas. This approach can potentially bridge the deficit and even result in a surplus of fish," said Das.

He also shared that the department has set a goal to bring about a transformation in fish production within the next two years. 

To facilitate this, the Minister of Fisheries has directed the department officials to provide technical assistance to fishermen to ensure year-round fishery operations.