ICAR - CIFRI

Overview

Publications

Social icons

CIFRI Awards

Recruitment

Intranet

CIFRI Corners'

ICAR-CIFRI organized a training programme for fisheries officials of NER on ‘Methods and practices for fisheries enhancement in openwaters of Northeast India’ at Guwahati

Guwahati, 12-14 ^st December, 2023
The ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI), Regional Centre, Guwahati has organized a 3-day training programme for fisheries officials of NE states on ‘Methods and practices for fisheries enhancement in openwaters of Northeast India’ during Dec. 12-14, 2023. The programme was sponsored by National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad and organized under the guidance of Dr. B. K. Das, Director, ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore and Dr. S. K. Majhi, Head, ICAR-CIFRI RC, Guwahati. The Institute has disseminated up-to-date technical knowhow generated on management of inland openwater fisheries to the fisheries officials through this training programme.

The inaugural session of the training programme was conducted on Dec. 12, 2023 in the august presence of Dr. V. K. Gupta, Director, ICAR-NRC on Pig, Rani, Guwahati and Dr. Mohan N.H., Principal Scientist & ICAR-National Fellow, ICAR-NRCP, Guwahati. Dr. S. K. Majhi, Head, ICAR-CIFRI RC, Guwahati welcomed the guests and gave an overview of inland fisheries resources and production especially in the Northeast region. The training programme was attended by 25 fisheries officials from different NE states (Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram); Kolong-Kopili (NGO), Bogibari, Assam and Ri-Bhoi Farmers Union, Meghalaya. Dr. Majhi stated that the region has 3.77 lakh ha water resources in terms of reservoirs, tanks and ponds, beels, oxbow lakes and other derelict waters, except the rivers and canals which are extending to a length of 20,875 km. He further emphasized that the total fish production of the NE region was 5,69,400 metric ton (mt) during 2021-22 (Assam: 4,17,000 mt, Tripura: 82,000 mt, Manipur: 33,000 mt, Nagaland: 9,000 mt, Mizoram: 5,000 mt, Meghalaya: 18,000 mt, Arunachal Pradesh: 5,000 mt and Sikkim: 400 mt), fulfilling about 85% of the demand in the region.

Dr. V.K. Gupta highlighted the significance of the training program that unites officers and private stakeholders in a single setting. The program follows a carefully planned schedule that encompasses all crucial elements of inland fisheries which covers a complete and well-rounded comprehension of the subject. The training efficiently familiarizes officers with various scientific methods in freshwater fishing. Dr. Gupta emphasized the importance of combining pig farming with fish cultivation, emphasizing how this integrated farming method can lead to sustainable production.
Dr. Mohan, N.H., emphasizes the importance of integrating piggery, rice cultivation, and fisheries within farmers' fields while ensuring sustainable management of water resources and the surrounding environment. This intervention holds the promise of assuring both food security and nutritional security in the most densely populated country.

Dr. S.C.S. Das, Dr. Pronob Das, Mr. Rakesh Kumar, and Dr. Dipesh Debnath were coordinated the programme. The training programme involved two days of internal/ classroom discussion centered around the present and developing scientific aspects related to managing openwater fisheries and one-day trip to the field.
The valedictory session of the training program held on December 14, 2023, where Dr. S. K. Majhi, Head of ICAR-CIFRI, RC, Guwahati, extended a warm welcome to Chief guest Dr. B.C. Deka, Vice Chancellor of Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam and shared insights regarding the training programme’s goals and objectives.
Dr. Pronob Das, Senior Scientist and Course Coordinator, provided a brief summary of the training session. Participants from different states shared positive feedback, commending the training's informative material. They also valued the visit to Kalong-Kapili NGO, highlighting its significance in learning about sustainable aquaculture and natural farming techniques. The Chief Guest and Head of Centre distributed certificates and training materials to all attendees.
Dr. B. C. Deka, in his address, emphasized Northeast India's rich biodiversity and raised concerns about the excessive consumption of fish per person, urging the need to expand open water fish farming capabilities and reduce reliance on imported fish from other states. He called upon officials to function like vigilant CCTV cameras, overseeing openwater activities to regulate pollution, illegal fishing during breeding season. Furthermore, he stressed the necessity of establishing regulations to track seed material origins, advocating for meticulous records from various hatcheries to identify gaps and address them through policy and scientific measures. He proposed developing a protocol for preserving ornamental fish through breeding strategies. Lastly, Dr. B.K. Bhattacharya delivered vote of thanks and encouraged trainees to apply the knowledge they acquired during the training and congratulated on their successful completion of training programme.