JOIN USPeople should encourage freshwater fish cultivation, said Moodbidri MLA K Umanath Kotian. He was speaking after inaugurating ‘Matsya Utsava’, a fish carnival, at the lake garden of Dr K Shivarama Karantha Pilikula Nisargadhama.
“There are good varieties of freshwater fish in the coastal region, apart from seawater fish. People on the coast generally consume seawater fish. More efforts are needed to be put to introduce freshwater fish delicacies to the local population.”
Referring to tourist attractions such as Pilikula lake, regional science centre and biodiversity park, Kotian said that it has been developed to a place of attraction. The Pilikula lake, especially, is now a favourite spot for boating and fishing. Pilikula, which was an abandoned area 25 years ago, has now become a famous tourist spot, owing to the efforts by former IAS officer Bharatlal Meena, he added.
Speaking to reporters, MLC Ivan D’Souza said that the pisciculture will be given due importance in Pilikula, as the biodiversity park will become Pilikula Nisargadhama Authority. Development plans in this regard have been discussed during the executive committee meeting of the Nisargadhama, recently. Efforts are on to bring more grants to Nisargadhama.
He, meanwhile, said that the state government has laid thrust upon fisheries, by earmarking Rs 275 crore in the 2018-19 budget. A prawn culturing centre will come up in Kundapur, to boost export of prawns.
The MLA and other guests released fingerlings to the Pilikula lake on the occasion. District Fisheries department deputy director Mahesh Kumar said that 50,000 fingerlings of freshwater fish varieties were released to the lake, with an objective to preserve endangered species.
An expert team comprising fishermen from Shivamogga and Shikaripura, caught the freshwater fishes Katla, Rohu, Mrigan and others, using gill net. A total of 1,200 kg fish were caught on the occasion. The fish were auctioned on the venue. An exhibition and the sale of fish was held. KFDC put up a stall of fish delicacies, which gathered a good response. By evening, about 950 kg of sold fish, fetched a revenue of Rs two lakh to the Pilikula Nisargadhama, and KFDC made a business of Rs 1.5 lakh by selling 400 kg of fish.
Zilla panchayat vice president Kasturi Panja, ZP member Ibrahim, Moodushedde gram panchayat president Hariprasad Shetty, Karnataka Fish Development Corporation managing director M L Doddamani, Pilikula Nisargadhama executive director Prasanna, Pilikula Regional Science Centre director Prof K V Rao and Fishing expert Dr M S Nazir were present on the occasion.