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A 21-Day Winter School on Ecosystem Health Monitoring and Fisheries Management in Inland Open Waters

01^st April, 2025
The 21-day Winter School on Ecosystem Health Monitoring and Fisheries Management in Inland Open Waters, held from February 20 to March 12, 2025, at ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore, was a comprehensive training program that brought together experts and participants from various academic and research backgrounds. The program was inaugurated on February 20, 2025, with a welcome address by Dr. B. K. Das, Director of the Institute and Course Director of the winter school.

The winter school was designed to focus on various aspects of inland open water resources and sustainable fisheries, including integrated water resources management, aquatic ecosystem issues, emerging contaminants, ecological monitoring of river health, and technological interventions in open water health monitoring. The program also covered topics such as GIS application in open water resources mapping and monitoring, environmental flows assessment in rivers and habitat mapping, impact of climate change on open waters and mitigation measures, IoT-based aquatic ecosystem monitoring, and environmental impact assessment methodologies.

The training program was attended by participants from various academic and research backgrounds, including scientists, university faculty, and subject matter specialists from Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and project scientists. The program included three educational cum exposure visits to the East Kolkata wetlands, a sewage treatment plant at Kalyani, and the International Centre for Ecological Engineering at Kalyani University.

The program featured a series of lectures and presentations by renowned experts in the field, including Prof. (Dr.) Arun Dhar from the University of Arizona, USA, who delivered an invited talk on "Emerging Diseases of Cultivable Shellfishes with Monitoring Through Specific Diagnostics." Other notable speakers included Prof. (Dr.) Sharad Jain, Emirates Professor at IIT Roorkee, who spoke on water conservation strategies, and Dr. Krishnendu Mondal, Deputy Director, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, who delivered a lecture on policy planning and challenges in environmental clearance in hydropower projects.
The valedictory function of the winter school was held on March 12, 2025, at ICAR-CIFRI, with Dr. B. Meena Kumari, Former Deputy Director General Fisheries ICAR, as the chief guest. The function was attended by a galaxy of dignitaries, including Dr. A.K. Singh, Former Director ICAR-DCFR, Dr. B.P. Mohanty, Former Assistant Director General (Inland Fisheries) ICAR, and Prof. (Dr.) S. Dutta, IIT Guwahati.

The program commenced with a warm welcome address by Dr. B. K. Das, Director, ICAR-CIFRI, who expressed his gratitude to the dignitaries for gracing the occasion. Dr. A.K. Sahoo, Senior Scientist and Coordinator of the winter school, presented a brief overview of the program, highlighting the key takeaways and outcomes.During the programme the manual of winter school was also released.
The chief guest, Dr. B. Meena Kumari, delivered a thought-provoking address, emphasizing the importance of ecosystem health monitoring for sustainable inland fisheries management. She highlighted the need for a multidisciplinary approach, involving experts from various fields, to address the complex issues related to ecosystem health monitoring and fisheries management. The other dignitaries, including Dr. A.K. Singh, Dr. B.P. Mohanty, and Prof. (Dr.) S. Dutta, also shared their valuable insights and experiences, stressing the need for effective monitoring and management of inland open water resources.

The participants of the winter school were also given an opportunity to provide their feedback, which was overwhelmingly positive. They appreciated the comprehensive coverage of topics, the expertise of the resource persons, and the overall organization of the program. The valedictory function concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. D. K. Meena, who expressed his gratitude to the dignitaries, resource persons, and participants for making the program a grand success.
The key recommendations from the winter school are:

Emphasis on ecosystem health monitoring for sustainable inland fisheries management

Integration of traditional and modern technologies for effective monitoring and management of inland open water resources

Development of decision-support systems for sustainable fisheries management

Capacity building and training programs for stakeholders and professionals in the field of ecosystem health monitoring and fisheries management

Encouragement of interdisciplinary research and collaboration among experts from various fields to address the complex issues related to ecosystem health monitoring and fisheries management.

Thus, the 21-day winter school on ecosystem health monitoring and fisheries management in inland open waters was a resounding success, providing a platform for experts and participants to share knowledge, experiences, and ideas on the sustainable management of inland open water resources. The program emphasized the need for ecosystem health monitoring and the integration of traditional and modern technologies for effective monitoring and management of inland open water resources. The valedictory function was a fitting conclusion to the program, with the dignitaries and participants alike emphasizing