Fisheries dept to supply FRP boats to Loktak fishermen
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, June 03 2011: State Fisheries Department is going to buy FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic) mechanized boats for onward supply to fishermen of Loktak lake.

The boats are to be bought with funds to be availed from the Japanese government under its Externally Aided Project, said Karam Saratkumar, Director of Fisheries Department today.

Saratkumar disclosed this at the sideline of the distribution of fish feed, lime, fiber boats to the fishermen today at his office at Lamphelpat.

The department has submitted a proposal for the project for which funds are to be availed in the form of grant-in aid to the Manipur government.

Against the total requirement of 27,500 tonnes of fish a day the state only produces 19,200 tonnes and the rest is imported.

Thus a huge amount of money is spent to import fish.

The department has been working to increase production of fish and a target to produce 60,000 tonnes in this year's Ningol Chakkouba has been set, the Director said recalling that in last year's Ningol Chakkouba, against the targeted production of 50,000 tonnes, 55,000 tonnes of fish was produced.

As per a report of the remote sensing satellite, the total water body of the state is around 56 hectares.

However, only around 18 hectares is fit for fish rearing.

In order to enhance fish products, the department is working to develop fish farms, said the director.

Elaborating the farm development works taken up by the department, Saratkumar said that a district fish farm has been recently developed at Purul of Ukhrul and also works for revival of the dying fish farm at Jiribam has also been taken up.

Fish farms at Khamenlok, Khutikom, Lamlongei have been revived and have started producing fish.

A new fish farm has been set up at Sagolmang of Imphal East.

50 acres of land at Lamphel, 70 acres of land at Yaralpat, 100 acres of land at Waithoupat have also been developed and are now ready for production, he added.

Besides this, the department is planning to release 30 lakh fingerlings in the Loktak lake this current year under the Conservation with Short Term Ex-plan for Conservation and Development of Loktak Lake.

Eight lakh fingerlings had already released, he said.

The department today distributed fish feed (formulated feed) and lime to 200 fishermen in I/W district and fiber boats to 11 fishermen.

Comment