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Farmers net profits with cage fish farming
Beating against all odds of drought situation, the fishermen in Mahabubnagar are opting for new and innovative method of rearing fish. Unlike Andhra Pradesh, which is dotted with fish rearing ponds and abundant water flowing all over, Telangana is a dry and water scarce state. Mahabubnagar district has been the most hit with drought conditions on account of deficit rainfall during past five years.
Mahabubnagar: Beating against all odds of drought situation, the fishermen in Mahabubnagar are opting for new and innovative method of rearing fish. Unlike Andhra Pradesh, which is dotted with fish rearing ponds and abundant water flowing all over, Telangana is a dry and water scarce state. Mahabubnagar district has been the most hit with drought conditions on account of deficit rainfall during past five years.
Despite such conditions, the district administration has identified certain areas like Koilsagar, Koilkonda, Makthal and Ibrahimpatnam, where large lakes exist, where fish are reared in cages. District Collector Dr T K Sridevi, who took up this initiative, has liberally released funds from collector’s fund.
“I am really happy that assistant director of fisheries has come forward to take up the project. In fact, we have allocated special funds for providing training, material and equipment to take up cage farming of fish,” said the collector.
At present 60 families are breeding fish in cages and they are earning good returns from it. “First we were unaware of cage farming. With the officials giving us training, we are able to make good returns,” said a fisherman
The round cages are made up of welded iron rods with thick net surrounding it to contain fish. The thick net protects fish from preys like snakes, crabs and other stray water animals. Thus the mortality rate of the fish is very low. The cages are fixed in the centre of the water body where depth is to maximum. “Every day we feed 30,000 fish with from 75 kg to 150 kg of nutritious meal,” said a farmer.
The fisheries officials are also providing marketing support to the fishermen and helping them earn good returns. “Not just training the fishermen in rearing fish, but we are also providing them marketing support to earn good income,” said Dr B Laxmappa, Fisheries Development Officer, Department of Fisheries, Mahabubnagar.
Before taking up this project, a team of officials from the district visited Jharkhand, where such models are already being in practice. Having studied that model, the officials have decided to take up the cage fish farming in two phases. As part of this, about 60 fishermen families were approached to impart training. The first phase of the project was started in June this year and the second phase began in October.
In the first phase, 30,000 fish saplings have been reared in cages where fungi fish and tilapia grew to the size which market prefers. The fungus fish will grow from 0.35 grams to 500 grams, while the tilapia fish will grow from 250 grams to more than 1 kilogram within 90 days.
By:A Raju
