The ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI) based in Barrackpore, Kolkata, is poised to impart successful fisheries management models to Southeast Asian countries with robust fishing economies. Acknowledged as a knowledge hub on fisheries, ICAR-CIFRI will share expertise on fish population enhancement in rivers, alongside fish cultivation in wetlands and dams, with 24 international delegates hailing from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
During the upcoming workshop, the institute will spotlight three major projects:
Ranching: This project involves capturing adult fish from rivers, breeding them in controlled environments to ensure prolific spawning, and subsequently releasing fingerlings back into the river. Over the past five years, ICAR-CIFRI has released an impressive 92 lakh fingerlings of various fish varieties into the Ganga. The initiative has resulted in a significant enhancement of fish population and diversity along the course of the river.
Pen Culture: Executed in the East Kolkata Wetlands and other water bodies, this project focuses on growing fish in pens until they reach sizes of 35-40 cm before releasing them into the wetland. This successful approach has led to a remarkable 2.5-3 times increase in overall fish production.
Cage Culture: Implemented in reservoirs such as Maithon in Damodar and Mukutmanipur in Subarnarekha, cage culture has proven highly effective in significantly augmenting downstream fish production.
ICAR-CIFRI Director B K Das emphasized the success of these projects, resulting in an extension of the fish ranching initiative for an additional two and a half years.
The 13-day international workshop and training program at the Barrackpore campus will encompass dairy enhancement training by the National Dairy Research Institute and Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Kalyani. The comprehensive program aims to review current management practices, address constraints and risks, propose improvements, and demonstrate essential technologies and skills for fisheries enhancement and dairy production within the framework of food and nutritional security.
