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Mega ranching programme of pengba (state fish of Manipur) in Loktak Lake, Manipur

11^th May, 2022
Shri N. Biren Singh, Hon’ble CM appreciated the initiative of ICAR-CIFRI.

He appeal to the citizens of the state to save Loktak lake by stopping encroachment, electric fishing, use of small meshed net for fishing and announced the audience that the Government of Manipur is releasing one crore fish seeds in Loktak lake for conservation and enhancing the livelihood of Loktak fishers. The Hon’ble CM release one poster carrying list of fish in Loktak lake, three leaflets containing information on Management of open water-bodies, pengba ranching for sustainable fisheries in Loktak lake with Manipuri translation. Hon’ble CM also distributed the inputs i.e. 10 tonnes CIFRI CageGrow floating feeds to 4 Cooperative Societies, 10 numbers of Cage Nets and 10 numbers of CIFRI HDPE pens among 150 beneficiaries provided by ICAR-CIFRI.

Shri N. Biren Singh, Hon’ble CM appreciated the initiative of ICAR-CIFRI. He appeal to the citizens of the state to save Loktak lake by stopping encroachment, electric fishing, use of small meshed net for fishing and announced the audience that the Government of Manipur is releasing one crore fish seeds in Loktak lake for conservation and enhancing the livelihood of Loktak fishers. The Hon’ble CM release one poster carrying list of fish in Loktak lake, three leaflets containing information on Management of open water-bodies, pengba ranching for sustainable fisheries in Loktak lake with Manipuri translation. Hon’ble CM also distributed the inputs i.e. 10 tonnes CIFRI CageGrow floating feeds to 4 Cooperative Societies, 10 numbers of Cage Nets and 10 numbers of CIFRI HDPE pens among 150 beneficiaries provided by ICAR-CIFRI.

The programme was conducted in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries, Manipur and Loktak Development Authority (LDA), Manipur. On this occasion, 1 lakh fingerlings of pengba was released in Loktak lake from two sites, Sendra and Karang Island in Bishnupur District of Manipur. Pengba is a near threatened medium carp endemic to Manipur of North east India, Myanmar and Yunan provinces of China. It is designated as the ‘state fish’ of Manipur because of its importance and high consumer preference in the state. In the past it formed a big fishery in the Loktak lake contributing to about 40% of the natural fishery in the state.

However, its population has significantly declined in Manipur over the last few decades and was declared ‘extinct in wild’ as per IUCN Red list. With the success of induced breeding of the fish in the 90s and subsequent ranching carried out by various organizations in the lake, pengba began to appear occasionally in the fish catch of the lake. With the objective of rejuvenating the depleted stock of pengba, ICAR-CIFRI initiated a mega ranching programme “Augmenting natural stock of endemic carp, Osteobrama belangeri (pengba)” in Loktak lake during 15 to 16th March, 2022 where 30,000 pengba fingerlings was released.

Today’s programme was in continuation of ICAR-CIFRI’s flagship ranching programme and was coordinated by Scientists from the Institute (Dr. B. K. Bhattacharjya, Head, ICAR-CIFRI Regional Centre, Guwahati; Dr. Sona Yengkokpam, Sr. Scientist; Ms. T. Nirupada Chanu, Scientist, ICAR-CIFRI) and staffs from Department of Fisheries, Manipur. The programme was also attended by representatives from LDA, Manipur; ICAR, NEH RC Imphal Centre; KVK Imphal West; Fisheries students; Fisheries entrepreneurs; other stakeholders and around 150 fishers. Shri Balkrishna Singh, Director, DoF propose the vote of thanks.