Tamil Nadu - Cuddalore   

Training programme under way in fisheries management

CUDDALORE: The Fisheries Staff Training Institute, Chennai, has launched a training programme on ‘Reservoir fisheries management’ to initiate inland fishermen in the State into modern fish breeding and fishing technologies, according to V. Tamilmani, Assistant Director.

Mr. Tamilmani told The Hindu that the programme was intended to augment the fish wealth in select reservoirs in the State and improve revenue-generation capacity of inland fishermen. With this objective, the training programme was organised for fishermen whose livelihood depended on four major water sources in the State - Veeranam, Kolavai, Poondi and Mettur.

In the Veeranam area, about 800 inland fishermen families would benefit from the programme. There were six inland fishermen societies here and their members depended solely on the fish catch for their sustenance.

They continued the traditional way of fishing, that is, whenever there was storage they would spread the nets and get some fish catch that were brought by the currents. As the fish species would be of various sizes, they could not get assured income. Hence, it was not a sustainable proposition for them.

Therefore, particularly during summer and whenever the monsoon failed, they used to lead a hand-to-mouth existence. When the tank got fully dried up, it would also drain their meagre resources.

The training was designed to impart technical aspects of breeding fingerlings in a scientific manner so they could attain a reasonable size and fetch good returns, which, in turn, would see them through hard times.

Mr. Tamilmani said that already two batches of fishermen, each comprising 40 members, had undergone training at the Lalpet Hatchery Unit of the Fisheries Department. The third batch was now being trained.

During the three-day training, they were being taught to set up “cages of nylon nets,” measuring 50 to 100 m, in the water sources to breed stocks till they attain the fingerling stage. Six species, such as rogu, katla, mrigal, commom cart, grass cart and silver cart were recommended for the purpose.

After training, the fishermen would be provided financial assistance from the National Fisheries Development Board, under whose aegis the programme was being conducted.

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