'Mizoram has 24,000 ha available for fish culture'

AIZAWL: Mizoram is estimated to have a potential area of 24,000 hectares available to be developed for fish culture. So far, only around 22.1% of the potential area or 5,527 hectare has been developed for pisciculture.
The state fisheries department officials informed this to governor Hari Babu Kambhampati during a review meeting at the Raj Bhavan on Monday. The meeting focussed on the fish production in the state and how initiatives have been made taken in the fishery sector along the line of the blue economy. In the review meeting, the governor was apprised of the state's initiatives to increase fish production and steps implemented in coping with the blue economy initiatives. The fisheries department was represented by secretary Laldawngliana, director F Vanlallawma and other senior officials. The governor also discussed the various strategies implemented to increase fish production for consumption within the state.
He suggested that achieving self-sufficiency in fish production for consumption within the state would not only be the first step but also a good start to contributing to the blue economy initiatives. He advised the fisheries department to try harder to create awareness among the potential fish farmers of how profitable it is to take up fish farming activities. He also urged the department to explore the possibilities of finding funds for startups from the banking sectors.
He asked the fisheries department to develop a sound mechanism to close the gap between the demand and production within the state within three to four years. He also advised increasing the installation of ice plants for storage, insulated vehicles for transportation and required market survey in anticipation of the increase in fish production.
The officials gave presentations on various implementations in the fishery sector using the funding from CSS-PMMSY, RKVY, Article 275(1) for STs, the SASCI and the state's flagship programme, SEDP.