Fish production at Gobind Sagar reservoir has increased to the record level. Principal Secretary, Fisheries Tarun Shridhar revealed that fish production level was over 1400 metric tonnes this year, which is valued over eight crores.
About 2500 fishermen belonging to 30 fishermen co-operative societies are totally dependant on fishery and during 2011-2012, the production of fish had plummeted to alarming 620 tonnes – less than half than the present production.
Shridhar stated that ranching, being the backbone of reservoir fisheries development, was given highest focus and over 17 million legal- sized, quality fingerlings of commercially important Genetic carps (almost three times than the usual stocking) were stocked in the water body under stock enhancement strategy, he added.
Collaterally, strict conservation and patrolling was carried out throughout the year in general and close- season period particularly. Quality gill nets of fine twine were provided to selected fishermen under the subsidy- oriented programme. The regular fishermen training programmes were also re-oriented and made need- specific. All these efforts borne fruit in resulting spurt in fish production and virtually, doubling of fishermen average monthly incomes.
Pertinently, it may be mentioned that among the large reservoirs (>10000ha ) of the country, the Gobindsagar reservoir is consistently maintaining highest per hectare production level in the country for over last three decades. The current year production of 131 kg/ ha is of added significance as it is almost 12 times more than the national average of 11.4 kg / ha as reported in FAO reports.
Principal Secretary said that various hydro biological studies undertaken of the reservoir by the state research agencies and Central Inland Fisheries institute, Barrackpore ( ICAR) on the carrying capacity had indicated the optimal production rate of this mesotrophic water sheet around 150/kg per ha and the Department was fully optimistic in achieving the said target in the coming years.
