Much hyped Aqua Culture Mission fails to address fish crisis in Meghalaya

SHILLONG: The mishandling of the much proclaimed Aqua Culture Mission has resulted in the present dilemma of shortage of local fish in the market at a time when imported fish from Andhra Pradesh is facing ban.
It was in 2012 that the government had launched the Aqua Culture Mission but after six years, the objective is yet to be fulfilled.
An official admitted that the use of majority of fish ponds for fishing competition or gambling had defeated the vision of the government.
At least 17,000 fish ponds were used for gambling.
In this context, the government had sought the help of deputy commissioners to ban fishing competitions or gambling in the state.
No Fisheries Act
The government was not able take action against the defaulters as there is no Fisheries Act in Meghalaya, the official added.
The Fisheries Minister, Comingone Ymbon said the framing of Fisheries Act is in the final stage and it will be placed before the cabinet for the final approval.
“We can take action against the defaulters only if there is any Act”, he said.
Review meet today
Ymbon will hold a review meeting on Wednesday to decide on matters related to ban on imported fish.
Though there was a media report that import of fish was banned for 15 days from Wednesday, Additional Chief Secretary PW Ingty said there was no such decision, while adding that the review meeting will decide the matter.
Visit to Iewduh
During a visit to Iewduh (Bara Bazar) on Tuesday, it was noticed that there was no reduction in the fish imported from Andhra Pradesh.
Fish merchant Milda Rynjah said after several states had banned the import of fish from Andhra Pradesh, the fish merchants and authorities in Andhra Pradesh had conveyed that due safety standards were followed while exporting fishes to other states.
“We did not receive any complaints, though the state government carried out the tests”, she said.
The state government, however, had a meeting with the fish merchants last week to apprise them about the dangers of the use of formalin in fishes while transporting from Andhra Pradesh.
Views of fish merchants
However, local fish merchants asserted that formalin was never used in the imported fishes and there was assurance in this regard from the fish exporters in Andhra Pradesh.
According to Padma Raju, president of fish merchants’ association in Andhra Pradesh, formalin is not used while packing the fishes for Meghalaya and other Northeastern states.
Raju said over phone that it is not possible for anyone to open the boxes of fishes to apply formalin during transportation.
According to Raju, it takes five days for the trucks carrying fish to reach Shillong and the ice can keep the fishes free from contamination for at least ten days.
Fishes are imported from Bhimavaram and Akkivaram villages in Andhra Pradesh.
50% of the demand in Shillong is met by fishes imported from Andhra Pradesh, while the remaining is met by fishes brought from Assam and Ri Bhoi district.
Local fish merchants said the fishes available from the ponds constructed under the Aqua Culture Mission are negligible.