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Aid for developing ornamental fisheries

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, April 12 � The State of Assam is endowed with vast water resources that harbour varieties of ornamental fish species that have good market value and can create employment generation and livelihood among the urban and village dwellers.

Considering the scope of development of ornamental fisheries in the State, the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad has come forward to provide financial assistance to 20 reputed colleges under the Gauhati University (GU) through its Department of Zoology.

Under the scheme, each college has received Rs 27,500 (55 per cent subsidy) as NFDB share against the total cost of Rs 50,000 for awareness promotion and conservation of local ornamental fish. The remaining Rs 22,500 i.e. 45 per cent, will be the contribution from the college.

The cheques were distributed among the 20 colleges by Dr Mridul Hazarika, Vice Chancellor, Gauhati University, on Thursday. The meeting held on the occasion was attended by Dr W Vishwanath, dean, School of Life Sciences, Manipur University and renowned fish taxonomist; Dr K Deka, head, Dept of Zoology, GU; Dr Jatin Kalita, professor, Zoology department and Dr D Sarma, associate professor, Zoology department, GU.

Dr RC Barman, officer incharge of NFDB Regional Centre, Guwahati, described the objective of the scheme and requested the colleges for effective implementation of the scheme. Vice Chancellor Dr Hazarika in his speech, requested all the colleges to take a good initiative for popularising ornamental fishery so that the sector can be developed in a professional manner.

Dr Sanjay Sarma, fishery coordinator, ARIAS Society, requested the college representatives to come forward for developing ornamental fishery with NFDB assistance by promoting local ornamental fish species. Dr B Lahon, senior consultant, NFDB regional office, also called for implementation of the scheme.

�Though the State has tremendous scope for development of ornamental fisheries, the sector is yet to be developed in a professional and systematic way due to poor awareness among the masses and non-availability of required equipment and other accessories and culture inputs for aquariums and ornamental fishes,� said Dr Sarma.

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