Krishi Vijnana Kendra (KVK) in Mangaluru will encourage people to set up units for fish seed production to promote inland fisheries in coastal Karnataka, according to Shivakumar Magada, Head of KVK, Mangaluru. Speaking at the Fish Farmers’ Day’ celebration in Mangaluru on Wednesday, he said that most farmers in the region have ponds in their farms. This provides an opportunity for them to explore the potential of inland fisheries. However, they require quality fish seeds to take up the activity. Since there is no fish seed production unit in the region, farmers will have to depend on fish seed production centres in Bengaluru and Shivamogga to take up inland fisheries activities in their farms. Considering this, the KVK has decided to give a boost to fish seed production in the region. He said the KVK will give all technical support to interested farmers and handhold them for two years. Apart from providing some additional income to farmers, it will also help meet the fish seed requirement of the coastal region, he said. Kubendra Naik, Deputy Director of Fisheries Department, Mangaluru, said that Karnataka needs to catch up with the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh in inland fisheries. Though Karnataka requires around five crore fish seeds, it produces only half of that. The rest is being brought from Andhra Pradesh. He said Andhra Pradesh has the favourable factors such as water, weather and soil nature for taking up inland fisheries activities. Karnataka should explore the potential of inland fisheries, he said. Fish farmers from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada and Hassan attended the programme.
2016, The Hindu Business Line.