As part of the initiatives of the Fisheries Department to augment the edible fish wealth of Ashtamudi Lake for the benefit of inland fishermen, M. Mukesh, MLA, launched the sea ranching programme of the Department by depositing juveniles of poomeen (milk fish) and karimeen (pearl spot) in the lake on Tuesday. The programme was held at the Perumon course of the lake. As many as 10,000 poomeen and 3,000 karimeen juveniles were deposited. The juveniles were procured from the government hatchery at Kannur. Fisheries Deputy Director C.T. Suresh Kumar said that the programme aims at stock enhancement of the two fish varieties which are getting depleted in the lake because of over-fishing. The department expects 55 per cent of the seeds to reach maturity. Sea ranching is a process of releasing artificially cultured juvenile fish species into the sea or estuarine waters, allowing them to mature to market size and then harvesting them. The process is increasingly recognised worldwide as one having a key role to play in replenishing the future supplies of many commercially important fish species.
2016, The Hindu