Karnataka’s reservoirs power fish on your plate with 4.5 crore fry | Bengaluru News
BENGALURU: The fish on your plate may well come from Karnataka’s reservoirs, where the state has stocked 4.5 crore fish fry across 38 water bodies, scaling up local aquaculture to boost supply, support farmers, and meet growing consumer demand.Most of these fish are for domestic use and are not shared with other states, officials said, noting they are raised across 38 reservoirs in the state.According to fisheries department data accessed by TOI, Karnataka has 83 reservoirs, of which nearly 46% are undertaking fish fry stocking. The total water spread of the 38 reservoirs currently covered under the initiative is about 95,000 hectares. Officials said stocking is being carried out by optimally utilising available water resources and maintaining a density of about 1,000 fish fry per hectare.The varieties being stocked include Catla, Rohu, Mrigala and Common Carp across reservoirs in the state. The fish fry are later supplied to farmers who require them for aquaculture.Karnataka has 522 registered fish farmers. While the department consolidates fish produced by private farmers, officials said the availability of funds also determines the number of fish fingerlings distributed.Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport Minister Mankal S. Vaidya told TOI that fish seedlings are provided to farmers at subsidised rates to enable them to rear fish in their own ponds.Under the scheme, a 50% subsidy is provided for procuring up to 50 lakh spawns (eggs) or 10 lakh fish fry, with a maximum incentive of Rs 25,000. In addition, farmers are eligible for a subsidy of Rs 2.5 lakh per hectare of water area for rearing fish in ponds constructed near reservoirs and lakes.Meanwhile, discussions are underway between the fisheries department and Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Limited (CNNL), a Government of Karnataka enterprise under the water resources department, to allot land for a 20-acre fish fingerling production centre near Yagachi reservoir. The proposal was shared in a written reply by the minister to Belur MLA Suresh HK.
