CAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, conducted series of five consecutive river Ranching and Dolphin Awareness programme from 11-16th June 2020 as a part of ‘NAMAMI GANGE’ programme during the post lockdown situation.
The ranching programmes extending over four major districts (Burdwan, Nadia, Hooghly and North 24 Parganas) of West Bengal. As a part of the campaign, a total of 2.0 Lakh number advance fingerlings have been released during the entire ranching week at different stretches of river Ganga namely Nabadwip, Kalna, Balagarh, Tribeni and Barrackpore.
The program will focus on replenishing IMC (Labeo rohita, Labeo catla, Cirrhnus mrigala and Labeo calbasu) fish resource widely known as Rohu, Catla, Mrigal and Kalbasu in severely stressed area of fish availability. River ranching programme can pave a way for stock enhancement in open water resources is vital for restoration, conservation and upliftment of this declined fish fauna.
Local fishermen and stakeholders present in the program were sensitized about the various factors behind declining fish biodiversity as well as total fish catch from river Ganga like indiscriminate destruction of brooders and juvenile fishes through use of zero mesh destructive fishing gears and also asking for their active cooperation towards success of river ranching program.
The awareness programme also carried out on Dolphin conservation along the Ganga coast from Nabadwip to Barrackpore. Dr. B. K. Das, Director, ICAR-CIFRI and PI, CIFRI-NMCG project highlighted the importance of celebration of the day as it calls for sustainable fishery of open waters, conservation of aquatic biodiversity, restoration of fish habitat, etc.
The efforts made by CIFRI under its National Mission for Clean Ganga Project (NMCG) was highly appreciated by both local authorities and fishers communities. The ranching program was coordinated by Mr. H. S. Swain, Dr. R. K. Manna and M. H. Ramteke with the active support and presence of NMCG team members.
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