The State government is all set to test the viable conditions to encourage cultivation of fish through low-cost floating High-density Polyethylene cages in natural flow of water and reservoirs across the State.
The floating-cage method, in which high value fish can be grown, is considered to be one of the cheapest methods in fish farming, according to the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Kochi. Recommended by Fisheries Department Commissioner Ram Sankar Naik, who inspected the existing cages in the Krishna river at Nagayalanka in April, the State government has chalked out plans to test the method in strategic reservoirs, brackish water channels and rivers in all the coastal districts.
One unit in each district
“At least one floating cage unit will be set up in each of the costal districts, from Srikakulam to Nellore, to prepare a data base of the success and list of fish species which survive in the respective waters,” Krishna District Fisheries Department Deputy Director P. Jayaraj told The Hindu .
“The State government should encourage cage-based fish farming in the marine brackish waters instead of sweet water,” suggested CMFRI Former Director G. Saida Rao. He had introduced the method in India when he was the CMFRI chief and spread it across the country.
Huge demand
“When fishing is banned for most of the time in a year on both East and West Coasts of India, high value fish species such as Asian Sea Bass, Mullet, Silver Pampano must be tried in the floating cages to meet its huge demand in Indian cities,” Mr. Saida Rao said.
‘Allow entrepreneurs’
He stressed the need for the State government to use the marine space for promotion of cage technology, allowing entrepreneurs and landless farmers. On the other hand, the National Fisheries Development Board will sanction floating-cage units for those interested in taking up the method of farming with 40 per cent subsidy on the total cost.
The floating-cage method, in which high value fish can be grown, is considered to be one of the cheapest methods in fish farming, according to the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Kochi
