Tribal Fishers of Burdwan Sensitized on Community based Pen Management in Wetlands
ICAR-CIFRI conducted a mass awareness on pen management in Gardanmari wetland,
Bhatar, Burdwan on 28-12-2018. More than 150 fishers including 70 women attended the
awareness programme. ICAR-CIFRI is working on the livelihood development of tribal fishers
through culture based fisheries in the Gradanmari wetland. In the present year, 0.1 ha ICAR-
CIFRI HDPE pen has been installed in the wetland and the demonstration of seed rearing is on
the way. About 25,000 fish seeds have been stocked in the pen to raise advanced fingerlings for
the wetland. Dr. B. K. Das, Director, ICAR-CIFRI has advised the fishers to maintain the record
of income and expenditure and also advised to save some amount form the profit to utilize the
same for future investment in the wetland for sustainable development. He also appreciated the
effort taken by the fishers in registering their Society and opening a bank account. He urged the
importance of coloured fish farming in the backyard and also promised to provide a capacity
building training to the women group on ornamental fish farming and on vermicompost. A
swachata drive was made with the participant tribal fishers and the local populace and the
women participants were sensitized about the importance of the cleanliness and hygiene in daily
life. As this village is also covered under MGMG program of ICAR-CIFRI, related advisories
are routinely provided to the farming community for betterment of their income and living. Dr.
A. K. Das, Principal Scientist; Dr. A. Roy, Scientist and Dr. P. K. Parida, Scientist and Nodal
Officer, TSP also interacted with the tribal fishers and facilitated the programme.