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NE home to 82% of India's ornamental fish

By Correspondent

SHILLONG, Nov 18 � With abundant water resources, the North-east is home to 82 percent of ornamental fishes found in the country.

�The region has tremendous potential as far as ornamental fish production is concerned. All that is needed is better technology for the farmers to boost production,� director of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), North-east, SV Ngachan said today.

Scientists say there are about 267 fish species belonging to 114 genera under 38 families and 10 orders found in the region and accounts for about 33 per cent of the country�s freash water fishes.

Assam has the largest number of fish species (217) followed by Arunachal Pradesh (167), Meghalaya (165), Tripura (134), Manipur (121), Nagaland (68), Mizoram (48) and Sikkim (29).

Incidentally, about 31 species of fishes found are endemic to the region. This, the ICAR director said, gives the region an edge over other places from the economic point of view.

Ngachan said, the region can claim patenting rights over the species and simultaneously make conservation efforts. �Top priority must be given to conserve these endemic species,� he said.

The two-day meeting being attended by scientists and industrialists from various parts of the country would be deliberating on the prospects of gradual commercialization of agriculture, horticulture, pisciculture and livestock farming in the region.

Inaugurating the meet, Meghalaya Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary said that agriculture scientists must work towards making India a �hunger-free� nation.

Assistant chief secretary PB Warjri said that precautions must be taken so that industries do not exploit the rare species found in the region.

�There is a need to safeguard the interests of small farmers and make conservation efforts to protect the bio-diversity of the region,� Warjiri said.

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