Fisheries Development in Reservoirs

The State Government (Department of Fisheries) is the main agency for implementation of the Reservoir Fisheries Development Programme. They are responsible for selection of the reservoirs to be developed under the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) programme, leasing of the water body to the beneficiary i.e. the lessee, monitoring and evaluation of the stocking and harvesting activities, assisting the beneficiaries in establishing sound forward and backward linkages, providing technical support and in capacity building of the beneficiaries from time to time.

Components of Assistance

The NFDB assists the following two components to support fisheries development in the reservoirs:

• Stocking of reservoirs with fingerlings of > 100 mm size.
• Training of beneficiaries

Eligibility criteria

Stocking will be the mainstay of reservoir fisheries development and will facilitate fish production on sustainable basis. Generally, the Indian major carps comprising fish species such as Catla catla (catla), Labeo rohita (rohu), Cirrhinus mrigala (mrigal) will form the core species for stocking of the reservoirs across the country. The implementing agencies in consultation with the beneficiary may also consider need-based stocking of additional species such as L. bata, L. calbasu and Ctenopharyngodon idella (grass carp).

As a thumb rule, the small reservoirs and those under medium category where autostocking is not possible will require a regular stocking programme to use the productive potential of the water body. In the absence of autostocking, this annual stocking is essential, otherwise the production potential of the water body shall remain un/underutilized. The large reservoirs will necessitate supplementary stocking until a critical mass of breeding population is established in the water body to ensure replenishment of the stocks that are harvested annually. This category will also include medium reservoirs where autostocking takes place.

The NFDB programme envisages stocking of the reservoirs with a standard stocking rate of 1000 fingerlings. Based on the size of the reservoir, water retention capacity, prevalence of predators and productive water area, the implementing agency shall have the flexibility. However, it shall be ensured that this deviation from the standard stocking rate (1000 fingerlings per hectare) does not fall below 500 fingerlings per hectare in case of medium and large reservoirs and above 2000 fingerlings per hectare in case of small reservoirs. However the stocking rate shall be limited to 250 fingerlings/ha in large reservoirs in which the cat fish species are dominating.

Pattern of Assistance

Source: National Fisheries Development Board