Bhadrak: Crisscrossed by several rivers, Bhadrak district has a huge potential for fish farming, but the government has not made enough efforts to tap it, a report said.
Demand for fish is very high in the district, but this demand is met by supplies from neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.
Experts are of the view that the state government programme Mo Pokhari needs a vigorous push in the district to encourage farmers to take up pisciculture.
Apart from paddy crops, farmers have good chances of becoming self-sufficient with more earnings from fishery, if given the right push, they added.
But emphasis is not being given to this sector at all, it is alleged. According to reports, three types of fish are grown in the district in fresh water, saline and marine. Marine fish production has been hampered due to government restrictions, which are usually imposed on fishermen during the turtle breeding season and fish spawning time.
Fishermen have to sit idle for about seven months due to fishing ban in the sea. They have to manage their livelihood by fishing only for five months a year.
Another problem plaguing the fishery sector is lack of cold storage facilities in the district.
The district is endowed with rivers like Baitarani, Salandi, Ganguti, Kapali and several others. Thousands of people live on fishing in rivers.
Many farmers cultivate prawn in ponds at Chaudamani, Adia, Adhuan, Atuaadia and Iram. Prawn cultivation has turned out to be a kind of cottage industry for people in Balimeda, Rajgharpokhari and Laxmidaspur, Bideipur, Sanakrushnapur, Kismatkrushnapur and other panchayats where prawn is grown in ponds filed with saline water. Prawn culture is also carried out in Mantei river basin at Andola, Nayakanidihi and other panchayats.
Similarly, thousands of people living in Padhuan, Nuagan, Kuanpur, Iram, Chudamani, Balimunda, Dhamara, Jagula, Karanjamal, Kaithakhola and Dosinga earn their living from marine fishing.
The district has 3,67,111 hectares of water bodies for fresh fish production. For prawn cultivation, there are 3812.42 hectares of ponds and river outfall areas while 10,000 sq/km of sea water lies sprawling along the 50-km coastline.
According to the fisheries department, 14,600 tonnes of fish is required for 13.34 lakh people per annum, but a total of only 3,110 tonnes is produced from the district.
The remaining 11,490 tonnes of fish is supplied from other states. Officials said though the annual fish production is increasing, it has failed to meet the galloping demand in the district.
District fishery officer Rabindranath Samadar said efforts are being made to create more ponds while trainings are imparted to farmers. Financial incentives are being given to people through Mo Pokhari Yojana, he added. PNN
