India’s aquaculture and fisheries sector is emerging as a “sunrise sector,” thanks to the growing domestic and international demand for fish. The sector employs more than 28 million people directly and indirectly and contributes 1.1 percent to the economy. It has a massive potential to generate livelihoods and boost rural incomes.

Bihar has abundant water resources and a long tradition of fish consumption, which makes it suitable for aquaculture. As a result of the State’s efforts, in just four years, Bihar’s fish production grew by more than 40 percent, rising from 0.60 million tonnes in 2018-19 to 0.85 million tonnes in 2022-23. The increased production could meet the State’s domestic demand for fish, which has made the State nearly “self-sufficient” and reduced the supply from other States. But even success has challenges, and Bihar faces a big shortage of quality fish seeds. Despite being India’s fourth largest inland fish producer, it produces less than 1 percent of the country’s fish seeds and depends heavily on other States for supply. The Government of Bihar’s Department of Animal and   Fisheries   Resources (DAFR) took initiatives to address this challenge.

The government tackled the low supply of improved fish seeds by creating linkages between local hatcheries, small nurseries, and fisherfolk in Bihar with private hatcheries outside the State and government institutions, such as the National Fisheries Development Board, Bhubaneshwar.

Quality seeds

This linkage enabled the stocking of high-quality seeds for improved fish species, such as Jayanti rohu, improved catla, and amur carp, in government-supported ponds. This ensured a steady supply of high-quality fish seeds for local farmers and led to a 30 percent increase in pond productivity, enabling fisherfolk to earn 25 percent more income. Additionally, it reduced fish mortality by 10 percent and increased growth rates by more than 25 percent compared to conventional varieties reared in Bihar.

This also enhanced food security as more families gained access to nutrient-rich fish. Apart from the import, the government also worked towards boosting the production of high-quality seeth within Bihar to meet the State’s growing demand. It selected local hatcheries to serve as brood stock banks for genetically improved fish species, assessed their facilities, made necessary upgrades, and provided them with fingerlings to develop the stock.

This ensures self-sufficient access to high-quality seeds reduces dependency on other States, and creates economic opportunities  for local communities.

Moreover, to ensure the ecosystem remains sustainable; the government organises workshops  and hands-on
training to teach fisherfolk advanced techniques. This empowers local communities to adopt modern aquaculture
practices and create a resilient fisheries sector.

A delegation of senior DAFR officials undertook an exposure visit to Malaysia and Vietnam to learn about advanced aquaculture practices. This visit allowed the delegation to observe sustainable aquaculture practices in these countries and explore international collaborations to enhance Bihar’s aquaculture productivity and export potential.

This article was first published on January 22, 2025, in The Hindu Business Line.