Fish culture is practiced in less than 30 percent of the total areas available.

This has a potential to create huge job opportunities, provided fish cultivation is done on a scientific basis India is a large producer of inland fish, ranking next only to Japan. With an abundance of freshwater resources, India has still not been able to tap even 30% of the potential area for inland fish production. Many entrepreneurs have, however, chosen to take this occupation on commercial scale. This is best manifested in Andhra Pradesh, which with 10,56,000 tons of inland fish production in 2007-08 ranked next only to West Bengal, which is far more endowed with water resources. Andhra Pradesh has emerged among the ranks encouraging farmers to form cooperatives to take up farming in ponds around Kolleru lake. Both the central and state governments have come up with schemes to help the cause of the farmers. Fish culture in ponds Out of the total inland fish production of over 3.6 million metric tons, more than 60% is contributed by fish culture in ponds and reservoirs. The average productivity from ponds on the national level is around 2,500 kg/ha/year, though in Andhra Pradesh and Haryana it is more than 5,000 kg/ha/year, while in some other states like Bihar and UP it is anywhere between 1,500 and 2,500 kg/ha/year. Fish culture is adopted by all kinds of farmers small and marginal ones, relatively larger farmers and those who do it on commercial scale. Sizes of ponds also depend on how affluent the farmers are. Ponds less than 100 square meters in area prove unsustainable, while those above 1 hectare are expensive for small players. Many farmers in Tamil Nadu, for instance, use ponds of sizes 30 feet by 30 feet to make their living. On the other hand, a water spread of anything less than 10 hectares in Andhra Pradesh is treated Fish Species Bred in Ponds as a pond. 3.6 million metric tons - Annual produce of inland fish in India, 60 % - come from fish culture in ponds and reservoirs, 60 Ponds can be perennial or seasonal. While seasonal ponds can be used for short-term fish species - cultivated in different parts of India in ponds or reservoirs, 80% - contribution of carps from fish culture culture, provided they retain water for at least four to five months, perennial ponds are suited Major species cultured in ponds for fish culture on a larger scale. Since water Indian major carps rohu, catla and mrigal dries up in a few months, seasonal ponds are Exotic carps silver carp, grass carp, common carp easy to harvest fish. Any perennial pond Catfish magur, ari, singhi. retaining water depth of 2 meters can be used Tilapia also known as kowai. for fish culture. Dr Gopinath Sai, executive Trout golden mahseer, silver mahseer, silver grey mahseer director (technical), National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), says a water level and black mahseer. of 3 to 4 feet is preferable, even in summer. Fish farming can be practiced on scientific lines in perennial ponds only, though seasonal ponds can be used to cultivate fry. Though different pond shapes are being adopted by farmers, rectangular ponds are easier to work on, Sai points out. He says freshwater fish culture is a very profitable business provided farmers take up this on scientific lines. Quality of soil, water, fish seed and fish food needs to be of reasonably good quality to have better yields. The soil for ponds should be able to retain water, and hence clayey soil is preferable. The water should not be acidic in nature, nor should it be highly alkaline. It should be treated with appropriate quantity of lime. Provision for inlets and outlets should be made in ponds, as Sai and C Ratnamachari, joint director, Inland Fisheries, Andhra Pradesh, says.

However, Ranjit, a fish farmer from Bihar, now into fish culture and retail trading in Delhi, says, We do not know about any inlets or outlets in our ponds but we manage a good catch despite that. Ponds are not the natural habitat of fish; it is rivers and canals. This makes it imperative for farmers to provide food from outside and also create a desirable environment. Fish food is provided in the form of oil cakes and rice bran. But to create conditions suitable for other organisms to grow inside ponds, fertilizers need to be applied. A combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers is ideal, Ratnamachari says. Their application depends on the soil quality to a great extent. Economics of Fish Culture in Ponds (for 1ha, up to 1m excavation) Items A. Fixed costs Excavation of one hectare land (10,000 cubic meter land to the depth of one meter @Rs 200000 20/cubic meter Construction of inlet and outlet to ponds Equipment and gears Total fixed costs B. Recurring costs Lime 500 kg @ Rs 7/kg Fingerlings 5,000 in number @ Rs 600 for every 1000 Organic manure (cow dung) 15 tons @ Rs 400/ton Urea 330 kg @ Rs 7/kg Super phosphate 165 kg @ Rs 6/kg Ammonium sulphate 63 kg @ Rs 6/kg Mustard oil cake 1350 kg@Rs 12/kg Rice bran 1350 kg @ Rs 4/kg Insurance cost @ 4% of seed and fertilizers Miscellaneous including harvesting, security of ponds, etc. Total recurring cost Total cost Income Production (from second year onwards ) (in kg) Sale price (per kg) Total Income (from second year onwards) (in Rs) 3000 45 135000 3500 3000 6000 2310 990 378 16200 5400 1200 8000 46978 301978 40000 15000 255000 Amount (in Rs)

Net income for first seven years Net Income in first year Net Income in second year Net Income in third year Net Income in fourth year Net Income in fifth year Net Income in sixth year Net Income in seventh year Source: Updated from NABARD Rajat Sharma of Haryana Fisheries Department has a simple mathematics for fish farming, which he says is followed by most fish farmers in the state. He says what is needed to produce for 1 kilogram of fish is 1 cubic meter water, 1 kilogram of organic manure, 100 grams of inorganic fertilizer, 1 kilogram of supplementary feed and three fish seeds. Farmers, he says, should wait for one year for the fish to mature. According to his calculation, investment needed for 1 kilogram of fish is anywhere between Rs 15 and 25. The sale price of 1 kilogram of fish to wholesalers is anywhere between Rs 40 and 50, ensuring more than double the income. Being a state subject, the fisheries department also helps farmers get the right quality fingerlings. Private hatcheries have also come up in several parts of the country and government schemes are also aiding this process. Fingerlings must be free from disease because one infected fish may cause widespread damage. Polyculture in ponds is the dominant production system in most parts of the country. Carps, both Indian and exotic, contribute to almost 80% of the produce from ponds. Rohu, katla, mrigal and magur are the favorite pond fish varieties. Harvesting and marketing Entrepreneurs are experimenting integrating fish farming with other animal husbandry activities like dairy, poultry, piggery or duck rearing to ensure a regular supply of organic manure to the fish pond. According to a research paper published by the Center of Freshwater Aquaculture, these measures have often succeeded in increasing productivity by almost 10 tons per hectare per year. They also use aerators to increase oxygen supply in ponds. Despite these, farmers, particularly small farmers, have been seen to be quite impatient when it comes to harvesting. They start harvesting fish from the end of three or four months in most parts of the country. For farmers depending on seasonal ponds, this is more a compulsion. But experts like Ratnamachari call this practice unscientific when farmers using perennial ponds resort to do the same. He says, Harvesting should be done after the end of first year. Harvesting can be done either by partially draining water out of the pond through an outlet point, or by repeat netting. It is preferable when the fish attain an average weight of 750 grams, though common species can attain weight in excess of a few kilos. Some ponds in Rajasthan and Haryana supply freshwater fish weighing more than 2 kg to Delhi and other neighboring states on daily basis, as Ranjit points out. He says, I procure fish from Haryana where there are a number of ponds in and around Rohtak and beyond. Ornamental Fish Culture - India has over 100 varieties of freshwater ornamental fish which can be cultured in ponds. - 85% of the trade in ornamental fish in India is done from the north-eastern states. - Rest comes from the south Indian states. -301978 88022 88022 88022 88022 88022 88022

- India's share in global trade less than 1% - Domestic market for ornamental fish is growing at 20 percent annually. - Domestic market is currently worth over Rs 500 million. - Indian ornamental fish species can be classified into live-bearer types (they do not lay eggs, but reproduce freeswimming offsprings) and egg-layer types. - Most popular of the live-bearer ornamental fish species are guppies, molly, sword tail and platy. - Most important egg-layer types include goldfish, koi carp, zebra danio, red-line torpedo and angelfish. - These are exported mainly to Singapore and Hong Kong. Fish is a perishable commodity and cannot be kept for a long period of time without proper arrangements of preserving them. This is what big farmers from Andhra Pradesh have been doing for the past few years. They have managed to sell their fish in almost all corners of the country. However, there is another method of marketing resorted to these days. Instead of preserving fish, some traders have mastered the know-how to carry them alive to the market. For instance, you can find live fish in Delhi brought from Rajasthan and Haryana. Initially, the quantities used to be less, but with better means at disposal, large quantities of such fish are brought into market. Ranjit says, This ensures better price for farmers as well as traders. I get my supply from ponds in Sultanpur in Haryana. He, however, adds that distance is no more a big factor. I can fetch you live fish from Bihar as well, and that too in the quantity you demand. For every big trader and fish farmer, there are many small and marginal farmers who have been selling their catch in local markets for ages. They earn more out of the trade involved with their catch, something big farmers are not able to do. The bargaining power of small farmers reduce considerably when they sell their catch in the local market. These farmers have also started to sell their produce in nearby towns where they get relatively better rates. Big farmers hardly ever follow this route, and they sell their catch to wholesalers, who pass it on to local suppliers from whom the retailers buy. This has remained the same even when live fish have been carried over long distances. Problems with fish culture The biggest problem with fish culture is the possibility of diseases, Sai points out. Fish can be infected with fungal, bacterial, ulcer or worm diseases. It is, however, easy to spot infected fish as they become weak and lethargic, and often come to the surface of the water to breathe. In eye diseases, for instance, their eyes become opaque. Infected fish can have open spores on the body, and can also have their scales dropping, something Ranjit says caused him huge losses when he used to cultivate fish. Treatments are available in the form of treating the water with potassium permanganate solution, or with acetic acid and normal salt. Copper sulphate solution and chloromycetin are also used to treat some other diseases. Any unusual feeding behavior of fish should be taken seriously. It is best to prevent diseases, as once infected, the fish population in a pond can be wiped out, causing big losses of both money and time for farmers. Another problem area can be marketing. Fish procured from ponds are perishable goods. To keep the stock fresh and fit enough to be sold in markets, suitable ice containers and cold storages are essential. It is also mandatory to have good transportation links to main wholesale markets. These are expensive affairs and big entrepreneurs can afford it, but it is not possible for individual farmers. Fish cooperatives assume significance in these circumstances, and also explain why Andhra Pradesh has been more successful than other Indian states.

The future The central government has come up with schemes in association with state governments from time to time to support fish culture. Development of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture was one such scheme launched during the 10th Plan. Under the scheme, whose cost is borne by the central and the state governments in the ratio of 75:25, farmers are given assistance for building ponds. A subsidy of 20% is given assuming cost for constructing a pond in plain areas is Rs 200,000 per hectare and at Rs 300,000 per hectare in hilly regions. For people from scheduled castes and scheduled tribes subsidy is a little higher at 25%. If an existing pond is to be renovated, subsidy is given at 20% assuming cost of Rs 60,000 per hectare. Details of these can be checked on the URL:http://dahd.nic.in/fish/inlandfish.htm. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) also refinances the banks extending loans to fisheries cooperatives or to entrepreneurs involved in fish culture. The formation of the Fish Farmers Development Agencies (FFDAs) was another major scheme launched by the Ministry of Agriculture in the 1970s. These agencies provide financial, technical and other support to beneficiaries at district level throughout India. Training is also provided through the NFDB. Sai says that the NFDB conducts training for officials from fisheries departments and various NGOs involved with fish farmers. They pass knowledge gained on to the farmers in the field. India produces in excess of 3.6 million metric tons of freshwater fish, but a lot of potential lies untapped. While the area covered by rivers cannot be added, fish production through ponds can definitely be increased by several notches. Fortunately, the stakeholders in the fish business realize this. India has, therefore, fixed a target of over 5.5 million metric tons of freshwater fish catch by 2020. However, more capital investment and technological knowledge is required. There is a need for better resource management and community intervention in all places where fish culture is practiced or can be practiced. Rain-fed areas should also be utilized to cultivate fish. As far as markets are concerned, communication systems among fishermens cooperatives controlling marketing need to be enhanced. This would be beneficial not only for farmers, but also for consumers.