A two-day training programme on Scientific fishery management of floodplain wetlands (beels) was
organized by ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Regional Centre, Guwahati and Assam
Fisheries Development Corporation Ltd., Guwahati during Dec. 18-19, 2017 at the Centre. Assam covers the
largest area (100,817 ha) under floodplain wetlands (locally called beels) in India. The beels are highly
productive fishery resource amenable to capture fisheries of indigenous fishes as well as for fisheries
enhancement. The ICAR-CIFRI has estimated the fish production potential of beels at 1,000-1,500 kg/ha/y.
The Institute has developed management guidelines for conservation of the resource and its indigenous
fishes as well as for enhancing their fish production through various enhancement options like control of
aquatic macrophytes, maintaining riverine connection, supplementary stocking, introduction of species, pen
and cage culture and so on. The present average fish production from the beels of Assam under AFDC Ltd.
increased to 221 kg/ha/y for unstocked beels and 450 kg/ha/y for stocked beels from the average production
of 173 kg/ha/y estimated by ICAR-CIFRI.
The training programme was organized to train field level officials of AFDC Ltd. so that they are updated about management modules/ technologies developed by ICAR-CIFRI for conservation and optimization of
fish production from the beels of Assam.
Dr. Dhruba Jyoti Sarma, Liaison Officer, AFDC Ltd. welcomed the field assistants posted in different
districts of Assam (30 nos.). He explained the background and objectives of the training programme. The
training programme was inaugurated by Shri S. K. Das, ACS, Managing Director, AFDC Ltd. He
emphasized on capacity building of field staff of the Corporation to enhance their knowledge level on
fisheries for meeting the challenges of the future. Dr. B. K. Bhattacharjya, Head of Regional Centre urged
the trainees to promote scientific management of the beels of Assam for enhancement of their fish
production as well as to conserve indigenous fishes. Shri P. K. Hazarika, Technical Manager, AFDC Ltd.
stated that both the ICAR-CIFRI and AFDC Ltd. have been working towards achieving sustainable fish
production from beel fisheries of Assam as a result of which fish production from the beels under the
Corporation has increased considerably over the years. Renowned fisheries scientists and technical staff of
ICAR-CIFRI including Dr. S. Yengkokpam, Dr. D. Debnath, Dr. P. Das, Shri A. K. Yadav, Ms. Niti
Sharma, Mr. Simanku Borah, Mr. N. S. Singh, Mr. B. C. Ray, Mr. A. Kakati and senior officials of the
Department of Fisheries including Dr. Sanjay Sarma, FDO acted as resource persons. Dr. N. R.
Chattopadhyay and Dr. S. K. Manna, renowned fisheries scientists from Kolkata also addressed the function.
In the two-day programme, scientists of ICAR-CIFRI dealt with basic concepts of beel fisheries, scientific
management modules for beel fisheries, enclosure aquaculture technologies, fish nutrition & feed
technology, common fish diseases & their remedial measures, fish seed production, soil & water quality
management and scientific record keeping of beel fisheries. Officers from the AFDC Ltd. (Mr. P. K.
Hazarika, Dr. D. J. Sarma, Mr. D. Pame) dealt with various provisions of Fishery Act of Assam and official
procedures/ administrative matters. The participants of the training programme expressed that the
programme was highly beneficial for their capacity building in beel fisheries management and sustainable
utilization.