Ban period — bane of fishermen, boon for aqua farmers in State

With nearly 600 persons actively involved in inland aqua farming at an estimated area of 200 acres across the coastal Nagai district, several fish species namely Rohu, Catla, Mrigal, Common carp, and Grass carp (vernacular name: Kendai) are being cultured in the fresh water ponds across the district. They make lucrative business at least twice a year, one during Pongal another during the 45-day fishing ban period in from April to May.

The rains have failed this year. We could only cultivate in an area which is very much less than the previous year. However, we do not want to miss the annual season this April and so we have loaded the fish seeds in our ponds well in advance so that the loaded seeds would be made to grow for achieving the desirable weight,” said M Veerasamy, president, Nagapattinam Aqua farmers association and an integrated aquafarmer from Panangatankudi village in Nagapattinam.

Procuring the fish seeds at Re 1 per seed from the hatcheries located in Thanjavur and Cuddalore districts, the aqua farmers for the next few months would focus upon adding weight to approximately 1,000 fish seeds stocked in an acre that are presently weighing in grams to the scale of kilograms. The inland aqua farmers are largely using the vermicompost and waste from domestically reared hens as a feed for the fishes.

“Organic method of feeding the fishes is best both in the aspects of health and cost involved,” Veerasamy added. As soon as the fish reared in the inland ponds attain an average weight of nearly two kilograms, the farmers would commence harvest. Subsequently they would be sold in local and other district markets including Cuddalore and Madurai at an average price of Rs150 per kilogram. Pertaining to the demands during Pongal, farmers added that the price can even reach Rs 200 per kilo. He also said that fish consumers would turn to fresh water fish as more than 70 per cent of the people in Nagai district are ardent fish consumers.