Source: The Sangai Express /Konsam Samita
Imphal, August 25 2021: Deputy Director (Instruction) Central Agricultural University Imphal Dr Yumnam Bedajit has categorically stated that commercial production of fry in the State is requisite to meet the local demand for fish.
Speaking to The Sangai Express, Dr Bedajit continued that the domestic demand for fish can be met by adopting an induced breeding technique.
Induced breeding is a technique where economically important fishes are bred through artificial stimulation in captivity.
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What Dr Bedajit says
Fish of around 2 to 5 years of age and weighing around 1.5 to 5 kg is preferable for induced breeding.
Roughly, 1000 fish can be reared in a pari of land for breeding.
In the breeding season, a male fish will release milt (a sperm-filled reproductive gland) on pressing its stomach slightly while a female will release eggs.
The hormone can either be injected into the muscle or the pectoral fin of the fish.
The female fish will start spawning 6 to 8 hours after injecting a hormone.
The eggs should be kept in a hatchery or a hatching tank for three days for hatching.
After three days, the fry are to be transferred to a nursery pond for feeding.
Preparation must be taken to ensure the safety of the fry from certain threats such as predatory insects and prawns before releasing them.
Clearance of aquatic vegetation is also advised.
As a preparation, a solution of 18 kg soap or 2-3kg detergent powder and 5 kg of edible oil can be released to the nursery pond measuring 1 hectare a day ahead from releasing the fry.
Instead of this solution, 80/100 kg of kerosene can also be used.
In India, major carp and exotic carp are widely used for induced breeding.
However, the same technique can also be done to some locally available endangered fish breeds such as ukabi, meingangbi, ngakijou, ngakra, phabou nga, pengba, ngaten, khabak etc.
Dr Bedajit also told The Sangai Express that he had published a paper on induced breeding of local fish breeds to make the State farmers aware of it, to transfer the technology and to save the fish breeds from extinction.
Meitei sareng
The expert said that no measure has been taken up so far to breed Meitei sareng commercially.
However, he expressed hope that this can be done if the Government gives a project to breed this fish breed to any institutes researching on fishery.
Drawbacks of induced breeding Repeated breeding of the same stock leads to a low growth rate and deformity in shape among others.
Improper usage of hatchery technology leads to the production of poor quality fish seeds.
Non-production of monosex tilapia in the region leads to large scale seed import.
This is also a threat to the very survival of the indigenous Tilapia variety (Tunghanbi).
The expert also expressed desire for the Government to allow only certified hatchery to use the induced breeding method so as to ensure the quality of the seed is not compromised.
Saying that the total water body suitable for practising pisciculture is 56,461.05 hectare, of which only 19,500 hectare is used, Dr Bedait continued that 190 million fry needs to be produced a year to fully utilise the water body available.