Shillong, Oct 17: The 7th Meghalaya State Aqua-Fest kicked off at State Central Library here on Tuesday for the state’s fish farmers to showcase and market their products.
Present at the inaugural function were Fisheries Minister, Alexander Laloo Hek, Secretary of Fisheries department, SC Sadhu among others.
In his address before inaugurating the event, Hek said that the State Aqua Mission is a blessing for the people of the state where economic development has come right at their doorstep.
He called upon the people to take the opportunity of the government schemes for economic and sustained livelihood. According to the Fisheries Minister, there is a need to popularize fishery as one of the socio economic development activity in the state adding that it gives a sense of confidence to see a huge number of fish ponds coming up in different areas of the state especially in the rural areas
The Fisheries Minister has lamented that the state is yet to be self-sufficient in fish production and it still has to import fish from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and others to meet the demand.
Earlier, Fisheries department director, AL Mawlong informed that the State Aqua Fest was first organized in 2005 following the launch of the Aqua Fest Mission.
She informed that the state has managed to achieve more than 50 percent of its target of producing 30,000 tonnes of fish per annum.
According to her, the state is currently producing 19,000 metric tonnes of fish per annum.