Director Fisheries tours Kathua, Samba districts to assess achievements under departmental schemes

Encourages farmers to adopt fish farming as an entrepreneurial venture

JAMMU, DECEMBER 3: Director Fisheries, Mohammad Farooq Dar today conducted an extensive tour of Samba and Kathua districts to assess the progress achieved under different Fisheries Sector developmental schemes.

The National Fish Seed Farm, Kathua was also inspected during the tour. The Director appreciated the Integrated Fish farming Unit established at Datta Tallab, Birpur, Purmanadal District Samba. A progressive farmer who has been associated with fish farming activity since 2011 has taken up Integrated Fish culture along with Agriculture, Horticulture and Floriculture activities.

The farmer has also established a recreational pond which is a source of attraction for the people. Besides earning a handsome income the farmer is also generating employment for the local youth.

The Director exhorted the officers to provide constant hand holding to the existing unit holders so that more such units come up in the district and the fish production can be enhanced. He stressed that the farmers  need  to be encouraged and assisted for starting fisheries projects.

The Director also visited the Large RAS Unit established in Bari Brahamna  in District Samba and emphasized that both the District Samba and Kathua  have good potential for exploitation of Warm water fisheries and fish production. He called for technological interventions like RAS and Biofloc and by tapping  potential water resources ( community ponds) to further increase the productivity in the twin districts. 

While interacting with the farmer at Village Jarai of District Kathua who have established a Carp Fish pond under PMSSY Scheme,  the Director impressed that the fish farming with new technology shall help in economic upliftment of the local people besides supplementing  quality protein in their diet. The Director instructed the District Officers to identify the potential areas in their district to prioritize setting up of more fish farming units in private sectors under cluster based approach and facilitate organized marketing channels for the benefit of the fishers to sell their produce for better returns .

The concerned District Officers were directed to disseminate about PMSSSY and other beneficiary orientated schemes under HADP among the general masses.

The Director was accompanied by the team of officers  comprising Chief Project Officer Fisheries, NFSF, Kathua , Assistant Director Fisheries Kathua and Assistant Director Fisheries , Samba .