Post News Network
Koraput, Oct 25: A pisciculture project taken up in Kolab reservoir of this district on an experimental basis in 2013 is likely to be stopped, as a study has found that the aquatic climate of the reservoir is not conducive to fish growing, according to sources.
Sources said the fisheries department has already started analysing the project’s cost-effectiveness. In a bid to boost fish production in undivided Koraput district, the Centre had initiated pisciculture at a cost of `1.5 crore under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana.
However, two years after the initiative, it was found that fish have not grown as expected as the water of the reservoir is rich in iron content while its mud has laterite content.
Terming the project unsuccessful, the directorate of state fisheries department had sought a detailed report on it from the deputy director of fisheries, Jeypore.
Deputy director of fisheries Muralidhar Jena in his report stated that the water has more iron content while fish do not grow in two months despite more expenditure towards feeding. Several major fish species cannot grow in this aquatic condition, Jena said.
After receiving the report, the directorate of fisheries has started brainstorming on whether the Centre-sponsored project will be stopped or continued.
According to reports, the fisheries department and the Minakhi Matsajibi Samabay Samiti, a fish farmers’ federation, had released 1.94 lakh fingerlings in 28 netted cages in the reservoir. The fingerlings had grown upto to 1kg to two kg through cage culture.
No directive has been issued from the department as yet about fish farming here, said Dillip Kumar Bagh, president of the local fishermen’s cooperative society.
