Roy with his specimens from the pond. Picture byby Surajit Roy

Malda, Feb. 19: A fish farmer has successfully begun breeding pabda in his pond, a feat that has attracted the attention of experts both in this state and outside.

What has created ripples in the field of pisciculture is that the delicate fish, a favourite of any Bengali kitchen, is only available in rivers.

In ponds and aquariums in Beldanga village in the district’s Habibpur block, the farmer, Dipak Roy, has also begun the captive breeding of other lip-smacking fish varieties like chital and the shor puti.

“Though the research is not at the stage of commercialisation, I have approached several scientific institutes for guidance and to know whether they can help me with modern equipment to hatch the roe and suggest ways to raise the maximum number of fry,” Roy said.

He said he was already getting help from the state fisheries department, the National Fish Genetics Research Centre, Lucknow, and the Inland Capture Fishery Research Institute, Barrackpore.

Roy said after trying out various techniques for the past two years, he now is successful in collecting fish roe from the pond — the eggs are deposited on the floating roots of hyacinth — and transferring them to an aquarium where the water is aerated and the temperature controlled.

When the fingerlings are hardy enough, they are released in a pond to fatten up for the table.

While Roy is still grappling with the high mortality rate of the fry of the pabda, he has begun selling chital and shor puti fry.

“I am confident that pabda, weighing about 150 grams each, can be reared in captivity. The stock in the pond feed on small shrimp which is provided by us in the nursery ponds,” Roy said.

The man’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. Fisheries minister Kiranmoy Nanda has given him the award for being the best youth fish farmer.

Roy has also received the best Fish Farmer award in 2003. It was given by Jainarayan Vyas University of Jodhpur.