ICAR-CIFRI organized workshop on Fish Conservation, Farming in River Ganga under National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) project.

ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI) at Barrackpore recently hosted a one-day concluding workshop on 27 September 2023. In the workshopStakeholders, Consultative Workshop on Fish Conservation and Farming in the Ganga RiverAnd the objective was to review the achievements of the three-year project funded by NMCG under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India.

Dr. Basanta Kumar Das, Director, ICAR-CIFRI and Principal Investigator, NMCG, highlighted the mission of replenishing fish populations through ICAR-CIFRI efforts. They released more than 6.5 million fish in five states from 2020 to 2023, resulting in an increase in fish catches in the Ganga River. The project also conducted 140 awareness programs involving 10,000 fishermen to promote conservation of aquatic biodiversity and restoration of fish habitat. Additionally, it successfully produced 22.7 million Indian major carp seeds, prompting the government to launch similar river farming programs across the country.

Dr. Sandeep Behera, Consultant – Biodiversity at NMCG, appreciated the efforts of ICAR-CIFRI to promote fish production and protect the indigenous fish species of the Ganga River. He said that the project has achieved important milestones over the years, and has yielded positive results.

The workshop also featured twelve local fishermen who shared their appreciation for ICAR-CIFRI and discussed how the project has positively impacted their livelihoods. He expressed concern over the use of zero-mesh fishing nets and the widespread use of poisons for fishing in the Ganga River.

Experts from West Bengal University of Animal and Fisheries Sciences, BOBP, WII, Department of Fisheries (West Bengal), scientists and research scholars from ICAR-CIFE and ICAR-CIFRI participated in the workshop. He shared his insights on various aspects of the project and the importance of such research in studying the biodiversity of Indian rivers, understanding ecosystem functions and generating valuable data to protect the ecological integrity of these rivers. emphasized. They all recognized the importance of such interventions in addressing biodiversity loss, climate change, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

First Published: 29 Sep 2023, 16:18 IST