Fisheries development reaches great heights in NCP

Fish breeding successful in several tanks:

Nimal Wijesinghe, Anuradhapura Additional District Group corr.

The North Central Provincial Inland Fisheries Department has embarked on an extensive inland fishery development programme in the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts.

The programme is aimed at increasing fish in tanks and encouraging unemployed youth to take to the inland fisheries industry.

Fisheries Development Officer attached to the Provincial Fisheries Department C.M. Wijekumara told the Daily News that during the last six months, 1.7 million of fingerlings worth Rs. 4 million have been released to the tanks.

According to him, the Fisheries Cooperative Societies are given a subsidy of 30 per cent in providing fingerlings to the tanks. One fingerling costs the Government Rs. 2.

Fish breeding has been successful in several tanks such as Nuwarawewa, Mailaththewa, Padaviya, Mahagalkadawala, Kebithigollewa, Kirigallewa Sangilikanadarawa and Mahakongaswewa in Anuradhapura district and Aralaganwila, Kandegama, Allewewa and Lankawewa in Polonnaruwa.

The fingerlings Catla, Mirigal, Common Calf and Rohu are released to the tanks, Wijekumara said.

Under this programme, on an experimental basis, the breeding of giant frawn (Macrobrachium Rosenbergi) is introduced to Ranawa Wewa and Aluthdivulwewa in the Anuradhapura district.

Referring to fish breeding, Wijekumara indicated that school leavers could join the fish breeding venture as a significant income generating self-employment.

“We provide the technique of construction of a domestic fish pond and also shade nets and bird nets to fish breeders. The person should possess at least 20 perches with easy access of water either close to a waterway or a perennial water resources.

“They are provided fish fry at 25 per cents each to start the process of growing the fries to the size of fingerlings. The harvest is bought by the Department on the basis of Rs. 2 per fingerling for releasing to the tanks. There are more than 300 such ponds,” the District Fishery Development officer said.