India is a large producer of inland fish, ranking next only to Japan.
With an abundance of freshwater resources, India has still not been able to tap even 30% of the potential area for inland fish production. Many entrepreneurs have, however, chosen to take this occupation on commercial scale.
This is best manifested in Andhra Pradesh, which with 10, 56,000 tons of inland fish production in 2007-08 ranked next only to West Bengal, which is far more endowed with water resources. Andhra Pradesh has emerged among the ranks encouraging farmers to form cooperatives to take up farming in ponds around Kolleru Lake.
Types of Fish Culture:
Inland Fisheries:
It includes the fresh water fish culture in rivers, ponds, lakes, tanks, and canals etc.
Marine fisheries:
It deals with the fish production from sea and brackish water. This sector has not been explored sufficiently.
Fish culture in ponds:
Out of the total inland fish production of over 3.6 million metric tons, more than 60% is contributed by fish culture in ponds and reservoirs. The average productivity from ponds on the national level is around 2,500 kg/ha/year, though in Andhra Pradesh and Haryana it is more than 5,000 kg/ha/ year, while in some other states like Bihar and UP it is anywhere between 1,500 and 2,500 kg/ha/year.
Fish culture is adopted by all kinds of farmers – small and marginal ones, relatively larger farmers and those who do it on commercial scale. Sizes of ponds also depend on how affluent the farmers are. Ponds less than 100 square meters in area prove unsustainable, while those above 1 hectare are expensive for small farmers.
Many farmers in Tamil Nadu, for instance, use ponds of sizes 30 feet by 30 feet to make their living. On the other hand, water spread of anything less than 10 hectares in Andhra Pradesh is treated as a pond.
Ponds can be perennial or seasonal. While seasonal ponds can be used for short-term fish culture, provided they retain water for at least four to five months, perennial ponds are suited for fish culture on a larger scale. Since water dries up in a few months, seasonal ponds are easy to harvest fish. Any perennial pond retaining water depth of 2 meters can be used for fish culture.
Fish farming can be practiced on scientific lines in perennial ponds only, though seasonal ponds can be used to cultivate fry. Though different pond shapes are being adopted by farmers, rectangular ponds are easier to work on. Quality of soil, water, and fish seed and fish food needs to be of reasonably good quality to have better yields.
The soil for ponds should be able to retain water, and hence clayed soil is preferable. The water should not be acidic in nature, nor should it be highly alkaline. It should be treated with appropriate quantity of lime. Provision for inlets and outlets should be made in ponds.
Ponds are not the natural habitat of fish; it is rivers and canals. This makes it imperative for farmers to provide food from outside and also create a desirable environment. Fish food is provided in the form of oil cakes and rice bran. But to create conditions suitable for other organisms like planktons to grow inside ponds, fertilizers need to be applied.
A combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers is ideal. Their application depends on the soil quality to a great extent.
Composite Fish farming:
Sometimes different compatible species of fish are reared in a single water reservoir for better yield.
Integrated fish farming:
Now-a-days fish farming is done along with poultry, cattle farming, piggeries and horticulture etc. This has given a very good return.
Fish species Bred in Ponds:
3.6 million Metric tons – Annual produce of inland fish in India, 60 % – come from fish culture in ponds and reservoirs, 60 species – cultivated in different parts of India in ponds or reservoirs, 80% – contribution of carps from fish culture.
Major species cultured in ponds:
Indian major carps:
Rohu, catla and mrigal
Exotic carps:
Silver carp, grass carp, common carp
Catfish:
Magur, ari, singhi.
Tilapia:
Also known as kowai.
Trout:
Golden mahseer, silver mahseer, silver grey mahseer and black mahseer.
Being a state subject, the fisheries department also helps farmers get the right quality fingerlings. Private hatcheries have also come up in several parts of the country and government schemes are also aiding this process. Fingerlings must be free from disease because one infected fish may cause widespread damage.
Polyculture in ponds is the dominant production system in most parts of the country. Carps, both Indian and exotic, contribute to almost 80% of the produce from ponds. Rohu, catla, mrigal and magur are the favorite pond fish varieties.
Harvesting and marketing:
Entrepreneurs are experimenting integrating fish farming with other animal husbandry activities like dairy, poultry, piggery or duck rearing to ensure a regular supply of organic manure to the fish pond. According to a research paper published by the Center of Freshwater Aquaculture, these measures have often succeeded in increasing productivity by almost 10 tons per hectare per year. They also use aerators to increase oxygen supply in ponds.
Harvesting can be done either by partially draining water out of the pond through an outlet point, or by repeat netting. It is preferable when the fish attain an average weight of 750 grams, though common species can attain weight in excess of a few kilos. Some ponds in Rajasthan and Haryana supply freshwater fish weighing more than 2 kg to Delhi and other neighboring states on daily basis.
Ornamental Fish Culture:
i. India has over 100 varieties of freshwater ornamental fish which can be cultured in ponds.
ii. 85% of the trade in ornamental fish in India is done from the north-eastern states.
iii. Rest comes from the south Indian states. !- India’s share in global trade less than 1%
iv. Domestic market for ornamental fish is growing at 20 percent annually.
v. Domestic market is currently worth over Rs 500 million.
vi. Indian ornamental fish species can be classified into live-bearer types (they do not lay eggs, but reproduce free-swimming off springs) and egg-layer types.
vii. Most popular of the live-bearer ornamental fish species are guppies, molly, sword tail and platy.
viii. Most important egg-layer types include goldfish, koi carp, zebra danio, red-line torpedo and angelfish.
ix. These are exported mainly to Singapore and Hong Kong.
Fish is a perishable commodity and cannot be kept for a long period of time without proper arrangements of preserving them. However, there is another method of marketing resorted to these days. Instead of preserving fish, some traders have mastered the know how to carry them alive to the market in large quantities. For instance, you can find live fish in Delhi brought from Rajasthan and Haryana.
Problems with fish culture:
“The biggest problem with fish culture is the possibility of diseases. Fish can be infected with fungal, bacterial, ulcer or worm diseases. The infected fish as they become weak and lethargic, and often come to the surface of the water to breathe.
In eye diseases, for instance, their eyes become opaque. Infected fish can have open spores on the body, and can also have their scales dropping. Treatments are available in the form of treating the water with potassium permanganate solution, or with acetic acid and normal salt. Copper sulphate solution and Chloromycetin are also used to treat some other diseases.
Any unusual feeding behavior of fish should be taken seriously. It is best to prevent diseases, as once infected; the fish population in a pond can be wiped out, causing big losses of both money and time for farmers. Another problem area can be marketing. To keep the stock fresh and fit enough to be sold in markets, suitable ice containers and cold storages are essential.
It is also mandatory to have good transportation links to main wholesale markets. These are expensive affairs and big entrepreneurs and fish co-operatives can afford it, but it is not possible fur individual farmers.
The future:
The government has come up with schemes in association with state governments from time to time to support fish culture. Development of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture was one such scheme launched during the 10th Plan. Under the scheme, whose cost is borne by the central and the state governments in the ratio of 75:25, farmers are given assistance for building ponds.
A subsidy of 20% is given assuming cost for constructing a pond in plain areas is Rs 200,000 per hectare and at Rs 300,000 per hectare in hilly regions. For renovation of an existing pond subsidy is given at 20% assuming cost of Rs 60,000 per hectare.
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) also refinances the banks extending loans to fisheries cooperatives or to entrepreneurs involved in fish culture. The formation of the Fish Farmers’ Development Agencies (FFDAs) was another major scheme launched by the Ministry of Agriculture in the 1970s. These agencies provide financial, technical and other support to beneficiaries at district level throughout India. Training is also provided through the NFDB
India produces in excess of 3.6 million metric tons of freshwater fish, but a lot of potential lies untapped. While the area covered by rivers cannot be added, fish production through ponds can definitely be increased by several notches. India has fixed a target of over 5.5 million metric tons of freshwater fish catch by 2020.
There is a need for better resource management and community intervention in all places where fish culture is practiced or can be practiced. Rain-fed areas should also be utilized to cultivate fish. As far as markets are concerned, communication systems among fishermen’s cooperatives controlling marketing need to be enhanced. This would be beneficial not only for farmers, but also for consumers.