The programme aimed at increasing the fishers’ income in post COVID-19 era.
The ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata in association with the Fisheries Department, Government of Odisha and Primary Fisheries Cooperative Society, Salia initiated an “Innovative Reservoir Enhancement Programme” in Salia Reservoir under the Schedule Caste Sub Plan Programme. The programme is aimed at improving the production from 30 tonnes to at least 60 tonnes from the reservoir to help more than 200 Schedule Caste households that are dependent on the reservoir for their livelihoods.
The Institute initiated the nursery raising programme for developing advanced fingerlings as the stocking material in the reservoir for production enhancement prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19. In two acres of nursery area 1 lakh IMC fish fries were stocked in the nursery with a stocking density of 0.50 lakh / Ac in the month of October, 2019. The fishers were advised to take care of the nursery and feed regularly to the stock during the lockdown period of COVID-19 pandemic situation.
The ICAR-CIFRI conducted a successful fish seed stocking programme in the reservoir on 21st and 22nd May, 2020. The stocked advanced fingerlings were approximately 30 gm in size. The objective of growing these fish seed in captive nursery is to develop stunted fingerlings. During this, 25,000 advanced stunted fingerlings of Indian Major Carps were stocked in Salia Reservoir. Approximately, 10 tonnes fish production can be additionally achieved from the reservoir. This is the first phase of seed stocking and the approximately 50,000 fish seeds in the nursery will be released in phased manner in the month of June.
The programme aimed at increasing the fishers’ income in post COVID-19 era. Its implementation will generate an additional income of Rs. 30 lakh for the Scheduled Caste fishers of the Salia reservoir. Keeping the contingency posed by the COVID-19, the fishermen were distributed the face masks and sanitizers along with maintaining the practice of social distancing.
