The fisheries department, in a move to modernize pisciculture, will introduce re circulation aquaculture system (RAS) for the first time in the city. RAS, which is touted as an advanced method to ensure stable production of high quality fish round the year in a comparatively small area, will be introduced at 10 places in the city as a pilot project. Ten farmers will be selected through a screening process to undertake RAS, which is relatively costlier than the traditional mode of farming. Recirculation aquaculture is a technology for growing fish and aquatic organisms by reusing the water in the production. The technology makes use of mechanical and biological filters. The method uses limited quantity of water and becomes a beneficial mode of fish farming in terms of availability and utilization of water. The department is planning to rear genetically improved farmed tilapia (GIFT), which is a product of selective breeding of tropical fish. “GIFT is being reared under special protocol in the country. It has got a big market worldwide and offers a taste almost equivalent to pearl spot which is always on demand,” said an official with fisheries department. This is the first time that GIFT is being reared in the city. As per the project, GIFT will be grown on 40 cubic metre pond (1cent) which will produce 4,000 fishes in six months. The number assumes significance considering the fact that normal pisciculture delivers 40 fishes from 1-cent space. “We are planning to have two crops in a year and one crop could yield 1.5 tonnes of fish. In the market it would fetch Rs 250/kg and depending upon the quality, the price will go up,” the official added. The department has invited applications from interested farmers who will be screened through a training programme. Cost is a crucial factor in RAS as it will require a minimum of Rs 4.8 lakh to begin RAS in a pond measuring 1 cent. “Half of this amount will be disbursed as subsidy or in case if the farmer needs bank loan, subsidy will be distributed through the banks,” the project official said. RAS is being introduced in the city considering high stock capacity, resistance to diseases and zero discharge quality as it reduces ammonia content there by making the fish non-toxic. The department is also integrating aquaponics with RAS by bringing in hydroponics (the soil-less growing of plants) that grows fish and plants together in one integrated system. The fish waste provides an organic food source for the growing plants and the plants provide a natural filter for the water where fishes grow.”Continuous power supply is indispensable for RAS, it was one of the reasons why we had to wait to introduce it. A generator will be an essential component or else power outage would drastically affect the output,” the official added.
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