Guwahati: The Assam fisheries department is working to expand the concept of fish-seed village among pisciculturists for production of quality fish and proper size of fingerlings available to them.

An important feature of fish-seed village, which the department has adopted in recent years, is that it will unite the farmers of the village for a common cause and enhance the farmers' confidence in marketing and understanding the concept of quality fish seed according to norms laid down under Assam Fish Seed Rule, 2010, which is the first of its kind in the country.

Dhruba Jyoti Sharma of the directorate of fisheries said, "A group of trained fish farmers are involved in production of fish seeds of various cultivable species and cater to their own needs, fellow farmers of the village and farmers of neighbouring villages at an affordable costs. This is like developing a single market, comprising a cluster of quality fish-seed shops at one location in each village, for easy access to quality fish seeds. The technical support for the implementation of this fish-seed village concept is being provided district wise."

Illius Ahmed, a fish farmer from Hojai, said, "The production of quality fish seed is very difficult as it depends upon the condition of nature. Sometimes, the temperature of water in which the fish seeds are kept exceeds the required level and the seeds hatch prematurely. Moreover, as we depend upon canal water, shortage of rainfall makes the pond go dry and there is a crisis of water which destroys the seeds. Poor facilities affect the production of quality fish seeds."

Ahmed, who wants the concept of fish-seed village to be extended to his locality, said, "The concept is excellent. Its expansion will definitely benefit us."

Sources from the National Fisheries Development Board of the Northeast said poor fish seed rearing infrastructure, lack of awareness towards scientific and professional management of rearing ponds and poor fish seed transportation and marketing facilities that lead to high mortality rate are some additional problems of fish seed production.

Earlier this week, the state government had banned import and sale of fish from other states for a period of 10 days following tests that showed the presence of chemical formalin.

Aizawl formalin test

Samples of fishes collected from market in Aizawl will be tested at the laboratory of the Regional Institute of Para-Medical and Nursing Sciences (RIPANS) to ascertain whether cancer-inducing formalin is present or not, a senior Mizoram health department official said on Monday.

Joint director of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Lalsawma said 1.5kg of fish samples collected from Bawngkawn market from where fish sellers purchase the fishes imported from different states was tested at the Food Testing Laboratory at Zemabawk last week, adds PTI.