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Pen culture demonstration for Sustainable Fishery Development in Maniknagar Wetland

12^th December, 2025
Maniknagar wetland,Odisha

Floodplain wetlands, recognized for their complex and highly productive ecosystems, are among the most promising inland open water resources in India. However, unscientific management practices and human-induced activities, such as jute retting and domestic sewage discharge, have significantly reduced fish yields, falling short of their estimated potential. To address this, ICAR-CIFRI is promoting the pen culture system as a sustainable solution for wetland production enhancement. This approach involves stocking of high-quality, large-sized fish seed, reared in situ using pen culture techniques. Maniknagar Wetland has been adopted as a model site by ICAR-CIFRI to demonstrate sustainable fisheries development. Under this initiative, ICAR-CIFRI provided several fisheries inputs, including HDPE pens, fish seed, and an outboard engine fishing boat, to support fisheries enhancement in the wetland.

A pen culture demonstration was conducted by stocking 150 kg of fish seed Labeo rohita, Labeo catla, and Labeo bata were stocked in HDPE pens on 12^th December 2025 under the guidance of Dr. B.K. Das, Director, ICAR-CIFRI. The event witnessed participation from over 45 members of the Primary Fishermen’s Cooperative Society of Maniknagar wetland. Scientists and project personnel of ICAR-CIFRI actively engaged with the fishers through hands-on demonstrations and interactive sessions. These activities facilitated the transfer of critical knowledge and technical skills, enabling the fishers to adopt pen culture effectively