Post News Network
Bhadrak, June 10: Notwithstanding the rise in demand of fish, its production has not been as expected in this coastal district which has huge potential for pisciculture due to its good aqua-climatic conditions.
As compared to the current quantum of production, fish production here can be doubled if proper initiatives are taken by the government.
The wide demand-production gap in procurement of fish in the district is filled by supplies from other states. Like other districts of the state, people here also have to depend on fish from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.
According to the district fisheries department, the district has a population of 13.34 lakh and the annual demand for fish here is 14,600 metric tonne out of which 11,490 metric tonne is sourced from the neighbouring states. Sources said 3,671.11 hectare area in the district is conducive to freshwater fish production, but it has been limited to a few hectares.
Similarly, 3,812.42 hectare of land is fit for prawn farming and a vast stretch of sea can be used for marine fish production. At present, three types of fishes are grown across the district—freshwater fish, saltwater fish and marine fish.
A major part of the total production of freshwater fish comes from rivers like Baitarani, Salandi, Genguti and Kapali and also from several ponds in the district.
Scores of farmers grow prawns in saltwater by making gherries in several areas like Chudamani, Chudamani Adia, Aduan, Aduanadia, Iram Adia, areas near East Coast Canal, Balimeda, Rajgharpokhari and Laxmidaspur. Bideipur, Sanakrushnapur and Kismatkrushnapur panchayats, stretching from Kasia river mouth to Parapokhari Cut Canal, are the areas where prawn farming has become a cottage industry.
Prawn farming is also done on a large-scale in the river-basin of Mantei and areas like Andola and Nayakanidihi throughout the year. Marine fish production is carried out on vast swathes of seawater in Padhuan, Nuagan, Kumarpur, Iram, Chudamani, Balimunda, Bideipur, Karnajamala, Kaithakhola, Dhamara and Dosinga panchayats.
District fisheries officer Rabindra Kumar Samadar said the government is making efforts to boost fish production at the panchayat level by creating more ponds.
People are being imparted training on fish farming, while fishermen families are being provided various incentives, he added.