SHILLONG: The state has a shortfall of 15000 MT in fish production in spite of the Meghalaya State Aquaculture Mission (MSAM) 1.0 and 2.0 which seeks to promote self-sufficiency and self-dependency.
Agricultural Production Commissioner, Fisheries, K N Kumar said the state government has closed the MSAM 1.0 officially on March 31 to make way for MSAM 2.0 which commenced on April 1.
He said there are bottlenecks in the implementation of MSAM 1.0 due to absence of fish feed and fish seed. However, the fish seed production has increased from 3.2 million to 11.4 million in 2018-19.
Again pointing to MSAM 2.0, there are shortcomings and gaps that need to be bridged as hatcheries for feed mills besides the training capacity need to be provided.
Citing the achievement of MSAM 1.0, he said there are a total number of 21,821 individual fish ponds constructed across the state against a target of 25,000 and constructed 61 community ponds.
He added that before 2012, the fish production was 4800 MT which has increased to 13,000 MT with the implementation of MSAM 1.0.
Commissioner and Secretary, Fisheries, P Sampath Kumar said the state has to depend a lot on import of fish from Andhra Pradesh. However, with the setting up of MSAM 1.0 and 2.0, there are efforts to make the state self-sufficient and self-dependent in fish production.
He informed that a total number of 22, 000 fish farmers are benefitted.
Meanwhile, Minister, Fisheries, C Ymbon said
the state has identified fisheries as a key sector since fish production in the state is very low and the department has taken up several measures to augment the fish production adding that the Meghalaya State Aquaculture Mission with its motto ‘From dependence to self sufficiency’ is a new chapter for the Fisheries Department.
