BY TC News Desk
Agartala: July 18. Fisheries Minister Sudhangshu Das today said that the government is working to increase the fish production in the state by using the public and private abandoned water bodies in the state.
Das said that fishermen in rural areas are being encouraged to make the state self-reliant in fish production and priority has been given to scientifically based fisheries in the state.
The minister said this while inaugurating a one-day state-level workshop on the occasion of 23rd National Fisheries Day at Nazrul Kalakendra in Fatikroy Assembly Constituency.
“We have to be self-reliant in fish production. This is a big challenge for us. Now the annual fish production in the state is 82,084 metric tons. Although fish production has increased compared to previous years but fish has to be imported from Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Bangladesh to meet the deficit. There are no large reservoirs in the state and rivers do not have water throughout the year. In this situation, the department has decided to make the water bodies which are in abandoned at public and private level all over the state suitable for fish farming. If these water bodies are properly utilized for fish production, it is possible to meet the deficit and produce surplus fish”, said Das.
He said the department is working with an aim which will change in fish production in the next two years.
The Minister of Fisheries directed the officials of the department to provide technical assistance to the fishermen on how to conduct fishery for twelve months.
