Fisheries Department has taken special efforts to popularise Genetically Improved and Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) fish in in-land fish farms in Tiruchi district. Taking advantage of the farm ponds set up under the Mahtma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, the department had introduced the breeding of profit-oriented and fast growing GIFT fish during last financial year, said K. Tharpagaraj, District Revenue Officer.
Inaugurating a meeting of in-land fish farmers, organised under the joint auspice of National Fisheries Development Board and the Department of Fisheries here on Thursday, he said a total of 255 farm ponds had been set up in the district in which 44 ponds had been identified for the development of GIFT fish. He urged the farmers to go in for a large area with this variety so as to earn assured revenue as part of integrated farming. While the GIFT fish was yet to be harvested, in-land fish farmers had harvested 11.56 tonnes of common varieties in other 211 farm ponds. The common fishes included catla, roh and mrigal, he said.
R. Sharmila, Deputy Director of Fisheries, said the objective of the meeting was to sensitise farmers to develop inland fishing and various subsidy-based schemes. Apart from 44 ponds in Tiruchi district, six ponds in Karur district had been covered under GIFT fish during the financial year 2013-14. The fishes developed a fast growth within a period of four months. The maiden harvest would be made in course of time when the in-land fish farmers would register a record profit. The maximum weight of the fish was around one kg and it is expected to fetch at least Rs.100. The department not only released the fingerlings but also supplied feed and other inputs as subsidy, she said. Farmers had set up two types of farm ponds – larger in smaller in dimension. While 600 kg could be harvested in the larger pond, the harvest would be 200 kg in the smaller pond.
D. Deubrol Vimal, Principal Scientist from Central Institute of Brackish Water Aquaculture, spoke on the methods to be followed for developing fishes in fresh water. R. Santhakumar, faculty from the Fisheries College and Research Institute, Tuticorin, explained the commercial advantages of ornamental fishes. Fredric Nixon and Thilagavathy, both inland fish farmers from Mettupatti and Lalgudi respectively, spoke on techniques to be adopted in inland fish farming. A similar programme will be held in Karur on Friday.
