CIFRI Awards
Under the dynamic leadership of Dr. B. K. Das, Director, ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore and able guidance of Dr. J. K. Jena, DDG (Fisheries Science), ICAR, New Delhi, ICAR-CIFRI has carried out fish stock enhancement programmes in four beels of Assam in four different districts. The fish seed stocking programmes were carried out by ICAR-CIFRI Regional Centre, Guwahati, headed by Dr. B. K. Bhattacharjya, Principal Scientist, under NEH component of the Institute. A total of 160,000 advance fish fingerlings comprising IMCs, Labeo bata and L. gonius were released in Borboi beel (Bongaigaon district), Ghorajan beel (Kamrup Rural district), Rupahi beel (Nagaon district) and Dandua beel (Morigaon district) of Assam (40,000 fingerlings in each beel) from 06-10 March, 2021. Awareness programmes were organized on the occasion of supplementary fish seed stocking in beels. The programmes were organized under the overall guidance of Dr. B. K. Das, Director, ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore & Programme coordinator, NEH component and Dr. B. K. Bhattacharjya, Head, ICAR-CIFRI Regional Centre, Guwahati & Nodal officer, NEH component. The programmes were organized by ICAR-CIFRI in collaboration with Department of Fisheries, Assam and Assam Fisheries Development Corporation Ltd., Guwahati. The programmes were conducted by Dr. Pronob Das, Mr. S. Borah, Mr. A. K. Yadav, Scientists and Mr. Amulya Kakati, Senior Technician of ICAR-CIFRI Regional Centre, Guwahati. The basic objective of these programmes was to create awareness on importance of fish stock enhancement in beels and at the same time improving their livelihood through increased fish production and income. Fish stock enhancement carried out by ICAR-CIFRI is likely to result in an additional fish production of 80 tonnes (20 tonnes in each of the four beels) over the existing production. A total of 2491 fisher families from the four beels are expected to reap benefits of supplementary stocking programmes. During interaction with fishers, Dr. P. Das explained the background and objectives of the stock enhancement programmes. Mr. Simanku Borah explained different aspects of beel fisheries management and the need for conserving these valuable resources. Mr. Anil Kumar Yadav discussed the economic benefits of CIFRI technologies developed for beels and stressed on the need to follow scientific management guidelines. The local beel fisher communities and lessees/ societies of the respective beels assured full cooperation to ICAR-CIFRI towards successful implementation of the stock enhancement programmes and expressed their sincere gratitude to Director, ICAR-CIFRI for his initiative to improve fish production, income and livelihood of beel fishers.
