Open sanctuary scheme to boost fish biz at Kuniyilkadavu river

Kozhikode: To give a fillip to pisciculture, the fisheries department has come up with an open water sanctuary project. The first such project will be launched at Kuniyilkadavu river in Atholy gram panchayat by releasing two lakh fish larvae into the water on July 15. “The project aims at increasing marine wealth in our water bodies to boost fish farming. The situation demands careful rearing and breeding of fish to keep farmers in pisciculture,” says Fisheries Extension Officer Jayanti T.T. 

The project envisions setting up a nursery-like ambience in the river for allowing fish larvae to grow. “The larvae need a secluded place to hide and sustain. So we will put bamboos and other wood to artificially create that ambience. Through constant monitoring of the nursery in the river, 80 per cent of the fish could be sustained,” she elaborated.

 For the project, fishing would be banned in an area marked for the nursery project. A minimum of three months would be required for the rearing of the fish and the restrictions will be relaxed thereafter. This will be repeated annually. The fisheries department had identified a few other rivers also in the district for the project.

  “Awareness should be created among the local fishing community on the project. They might be affected because of the ban on fishing in the marked area for quite some time. But they should be convinced that the project is for increasing marine wealth thereby sustaining their livelihood,” said a top officer in the fisheries department. 

Milkfish would be released into the Kuniyilkadavu river on Saturday.