A one-day media awareness workshop on ‘Role of Media in Promoting Modern Fish Farming in Manipur’ was organised by Editors’ Guild Manipur (EGM) at Mandha Island, Thanga. The workshop highlighted the government’s initiatives to introduce cold water fisheries and enhance local fish production in the state.
The programme was attended by fisheries director Heisnam Balkrishna and EGM president Khogendra Khomdram as chief guest and president respectively. All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AM-WJU) president Bijoy Kakchingtabam, Manipur Hill Journalists’ Union (MHJU) president Peter Adani, and IPR deputy director L Ashok Kumar were also present as guests of honour. During the technical session, district fishery officer S Jiten talked of the seasonal nature of fish farming in Manipur and announced plans to introduce cold water fisheries.
The initiative aims to cultivate fish species such as Ngara, Nunga, and Chocolate Mahseer, capable of thriving in temperatures as low as 18 degrees Celsius. Fish imported from other states are generally treated with formaldehydes.
With approximately 99 per cent of Fabounga used in fermented fish production originating from outside Manipur, it is a matter of concern. The drying process often involves sun-drying on sandy surfaces, which is unhygienic. Additionally, pesticides are applied during drying to prevent pest infestation, he said. About 5 lakh households in the state consume fermented fish, totalling an average monthly consumption of 2.5 lakh kilograms. This poses significant health risks, as formaldehydes and pesticides are carcinogenic and it coincides with the increase in cancer cases in the state, the fishery officer remarked.
In the past, the state had adequate fish production, but there is a huge gap in the demand and production, with the current demand predominantly met by imported fish, creating a significant economic challenge. Efforts are urgently needed to boost local production, leveraging the state’s abundant resources to meet demand through coordinated initiatives, he revealed. Fish production from Loktak Lake has sharply declined, largely due to the Ithai Barrage obstructing natural fish migration routes. Many rivers of the state flow into Loktak Lake, with water from the lake eventually flowing through Manipur/Chindwin River.
Historically, fish from Myanmar used this route to reach Loktak Lake and beyond, but the barrage has disrupted this natural migration path. It is crucial to install fish ladders to restore these routes, which would help replenish fish populations in Loktak Lake, Jiten pointed out. Moreover, imported fish feed, typically made from soybean, corn, and rice bran, costs between Rs 70 to 100 per kg.
A fish requires approximately two kg of feed to gain one kg of weight. Promoting local production of feed would lower fish production costs and boost farmers’ incomes. To achieve this, collaboration between the agriculture and allied departments is essential, working alongside the fisheries department in a comprehensive approach, he added. Heisnam Balkrishna emphasised that fish is like a staple food in the state, but there exists a significant gap between demand and production.
The potential area for fish farming in the state is 56,461 hectares, yet only 18,000 hectares are currently utilised. There is an urgent need to develop the remaining potential areas to bridge this gap. The state requires 52,000 metric tons (MT) of fish annually, but current production stands at only 32,000 MT . Previously, fish from Loktak Lake alone sufficed for the state’s needs, but this is no longer the case. One of the contributing factors is fishing during the breeding season, particularly from May to July, which poses a threat to fish populations, he said. Balkrishna also emphasised the crucial role of the fisheries department in enhancing fish production and highlighted the workshop’s focus on the media’s role in addressing these challenges.