An action plan has been readied to scale up inland fisheries production in the district encompassing an estimated 684 tanks, including three irrigation reservoirs, to augment income of fishermen and meet huge demand for fish known for its high nutritional value.
The move gains prominence in the backdrop of substantial fish yield from inland water sources in the district in the present fishing season so far.
Against the odds posed by the lockdown, as many as 56 fishermen cooperative societies had managed to net a fish catch of around 6,000 tonnes from a total of 684 tanks till now in the present fishing season, sources said.
A huge volume of 1.78 crore fish seeds was stocked in these tanks under the aegis of the Fisheries department across the district during monsoon last year.
Fishing was under way in adherence to the physical distancing norms in all the 684 tanks and three main reservoirs – Taliperu, Tummala Cheruvu and Pedda Vagu in the district, said District Fisheries Officer K Varada Reddy.
The fish yield from inland water sources had stood around 6,000 tonnes and the total catch from the inland fisheries was expected to reach 8,000 tonnes by the end of the fishing season, he said.
Collector M V Reddy had visited the Singabhoopalam cheruvu in Sujathnagar mandal a few days ago to monitor implementation of preventive measures against coronavirus during fishing at the major tank, he said.
A plan was formulated to stock around 1.80 crore fish seed in inland water resources in the district during the rainy season to ramp up inland fisheries production in the district.
Fishing gear, mopeds and luggage autorickshaws besides mobile fish outlets were provided on 75% subsidy to several members of the 56 fishermen societies, including 35 tribal societies, mainly operating in the Godavari river-belt region under the Integrated Fisheries Development Scheme (IFDS), he added.