5 lakh Fish fingerlings released  on Loktak Day

Imphal: Manipur Fisheries department has released about five lakh fish fingerlings in Loktak lake and Takmu lake to mark the occasion of the Loktak Day celebrations.

The stocking of fish fingerlings in the sublime water bodies of Manipur which is regarded as the cradle of civilization was led by chairman of Loktak Development Authority, M. Asnikumar Singh, former minister H. Sanayaima Singh, and Fisheries director Balkrisna Singh.

Three lakh fish fingerlings comprising of grass carp, rohu and mrigal fish have been released in Loktak lake and about two lakh fish fingerlings in Takmu lake.

Tongbram Nabakumar Singh a fisherman of Thanga Tongbram Leikai said the release of lakhs of fish fingerlings in lakes has significantly improved the income generating capabilities of local fishers with a sudden increase in fish population in the past three years.

The director appealed the local fisherman community to take up fishing activities responsibly, avoid illegal fishing practices and shun discriminatory crafts and gears in order to conserve fisheries resources.

Manipur ranks fourth (19.70%) in the index of states with highest daily fish consumption in India after Kerala (53.5%), Goa (36.2%) and West Bengal (21.90%), said a DIPR press release.

Fish production in Manipur has been consistently and significantly increasing over the last five years as a result of implementation of Centrally Sponsored Scheme – Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and State Sponsored Scheme – Loktak Livelihood Mission and various fisheries development programmes under the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad, RKVY and North East Council (NEC), Shillong. The successful implementation of these schemes and programmes have led to strengthening of state’s fisheries potentials by harnessing and reclaiming thousands of hectares of marshy and non-arable lands into fish culture ponds, setting up of hatcheries and breeding units, input supply, modern scientific fish culture practices such as Biofloc, Recirculatory Aquaculture System (RAS), introduction of Cage Culture, Pen Culture, establishment of Ice Plants, construction of retailed fish markets, providing credit facilities and linkages to fish farmers by various banks, organising annual fish fairs (Ningol Chakouba and Emoinu Fish Fair), continuation of fish stocking programmes in lakes, water bodies, reservoirs and community ponds, etc.

In 2020-21, the state’s fish production stood at 34,000 MT per annum against the annual consumption requirement of 52,000 MT. It is estimated that the state spent around Rs 400 crores per annum in import of fish from outside Manipur for bridging the deficit in fish consumption.

The implementation of central sector schemes, robust interventions by the State Government for fisheries development contributed in achieving consistent and perceptible improvement in fish production and productivity over the last five years.