Morung Express News
February 10
Kohima: Altogether, 42 fish species belonging to 10 ‘families’ and 24 general have been reported from Nagaland. The interest of the Nagaland fish fauna lies in the fact that it contains representatives of the Assamese and the Burmese elements in almost equal proportion, according to the State Level Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan of Nagaland.
There are 14 representatives, which are common to the Brahmaputra and the Chindwin drainage basin, Five representatives of the Indo Gangetic fauna are also present in Nagaland fauna.
The Action Plan also stated that five species are common between Nagaland, Eastern Himalayan fauna, Burmese and South East Asian fauna. The Nagaland fish fauna has three species common with eastern Himalayan fauna respectively. Four species are representatives of the Assam Himalayan fauna. It shares four species with Manipur and two species (Ghosha and Lipton, 1982).
The Action Plan said the state, having a potential of developing more reservoirs in the future, will give a boost to fish culture and production in the state. Ponds/tanks are the main resource for fish production presently in the state, but their average production is very low with traditional system of culture in most cases.
Paddy-cum-fish culture is the second major source for fish production in the state and is being practiced in considerable areas. There is a vast scope to integrate this cultural practice and more areas under the system can be taken up through application of scientific methods for increasing fish production.
The production of fish during 2000-2001 in the state was 5, 300.00 metric tones, which is sufficient to supply just 4.00 kg/capita to its fish consuming population. The per capita availability of fish is one of the lowest within the north eastern region.
The Action Plan also stated that the present day demand has as per nutritional standard been placed at 20,000 metric tones. The present production of fingerlings is 50.00 millions.
The Action Pan said that lack of adequate survey of existing water resources, trained manpower and availability of required funds are the important constraints for fishery development in the state.
Lack of conservation measures and prevalence of destructive methods of fishing in the state as a whole are the other constraints for development of riverine fishery.
It has been felt that the land scarce state of Nagaland should lay more emphasis on development of potential fishery resources as well as their proper utilization.
