ICAR-CIFRI establishes Ornamental Fish Farming Unit for SC Women Fishers of Khalsi Beel, West Bengal

Khalsi is a horseshoe-shaped floodplain wetland that is connected to the River Jamuna in Nadia District of West Bengal. Around 300 Member Fishermen Cooperative Society manages the fisheries in the beel along with the involvement of 157 active fishers.

Under the leadership of Dr. B.K. Das, Director, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata, an Ornamental Cluster has been developed in the beel area.

Keeping in view the increasing market demand, the cluster has been developed for ornamental fish in Kolkata. The Khalsi Beel Cooperative Society selected a 25 Scheduled Caste Fisher Women Group for the ornamental cluster development. The women were trained on ornamental fish keeping and breeding.

During the Meeting organized on 20th September, 2020, Dr. Das distributed the Ornamental Fish, Fish Feed and other accessories along with FRP Tanks to the fisher women beneficiaries.

Dr. Das also urged the women group for developing the skill of ornamental fish keeping and breeding for their livelihood improvement.

The Institute also organized the On-farm Training Programme for the “Women Fishers on Ornamental Fish Farming” for their skill up-gradation with a practical demonstration during 19th to 21st September, 2020.

(Source: ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata)