Imphal, December 04: For Soibam Dhanabir, a young but successful aquaculturist, another component that signifies Manipur's peculiarity is its indigenous fish Pengba considered to be one of the tastiest fishes in the State but the delicacy of which would have never been known by the younger generation from possible extinction of this endangered fish species found only in Manipur and some parts of Myanmar.

Thanks to his never-say-die spirit, Dhanabir, who is also the secretary of M/s New Zen Aquaculture Farm, has successfully cultured the spawns of Pengba (Sc nameOsteo Brama Belangari) which are in the verge of extinction in Manipur by adopting the indigenous method of rearing the fish which he had learnt from his own father.

It is in celebration of this success story that Pengba Day is being observed every year on December 4 at the premises of M/s New Zen Aquaculture located at Ningombam Mayai Leikai in Imphal East district.

The main objective of the observance is to propagate and proliferate the production of Pengba in Manipur which at one time had become almost extinct following the construction of Ithai Dam over Imphal river as part of the larger Loktak Hydro Electric Project.

The 4th Pengba Day observance held today under the aegis of M/S New Zen Aquaculture Farm was attended by Fisheries Director K Saratkumar Singh, senior fish farmer Soibam Tomba Singh and DGM of NABARD Sonamani Singh Yambem as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.

Giving the new note address, Dhanabir said rearing of Pengba could be a profitable venture if the fish farmers know the method and technical know how.

Recounting the his experience, Dhanabir said he took keen interest in rearing Pengba after his father Soibam Tomba (78) began a fish farm along with some adult male and female Pengbas brought from Loktak lake way back in 1980.Later on, equipped with the knowledge of indigenous method of rearing the fish that he learnt from his father, Dhanabir said he succeeded in producing 8 lakhs of Pengba spawns from his farm which spread over an area of 20 acres of land.

Since then, his farm has been supplying Pengba spawns to other fish farmers located in different parts of the State, he added.

In his address as the chief guest, Fisheries Director K Saratkumar, his Dept has been doing its best to propagate this fish variety which has been at the verge of extinction after the construction of Ithai Dam and flooding of the Manipuri markets with imported fishes.

Through the Dept, Aerators, the device used for increasing the Ph value of fresh water, that were provided by Central Institute of Fresh Water Aquaculture have been installed in some of the fish farms of the State.

Over and above this there availability of adequate Pengba spawns in the Dept, he said, adding that experiment are also being made for producing spawns of Meetei Sareng.

While informing that the Dept has set up a hatchery centre for Ngakra spawns at Lamphelpat, Saratkumar said arrangements are also being made for setting up similar hatchery centres for Ngaton and Ngara.

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