Stock Enhancement and Its Impact on the Productivity of Haribhanga Beel in Assam

The floodplain wetlands (beels), extending over one lakh hectare, constitute the most important fishery resource of the Assam. The average productivity of Assam beels is 150-200 kg./ha/year. Many factors can be attributed for this situation, but inadequate auto stocking might be one of the basic reasons. To tide over this situation, rearing of seed in pens could be a viable alternative. Stock enhancement through pen culture was demonstrated by CIFRI at Haribhanga beel with three IMC. The fisher has adopted with modification using three Indian major carp and three exotic carp. A pen enclosure of 5000 m2 has been installed during 2006-07. The harvest of two cycle of pen culture operation was used in further stocking of beels. The productivity of Haribhanga beel has a three fold increase with productivity reaching 1050 Kg/ha/year.