Blue Revolution at Sagar Island: Commissioning of Carp Hatchery would yield 1.00 Crores Fish per Annum.

ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CIFRI), Barrackpore, has been actively implementing various initiatives to support the development of the rural community of Sundarbans for livelihood development and Nutritional security. These efforts include demonstrations on backyard pond fish farming, development of canal fisheries, promotion of ornamental fish culture, establishment of carp hatchery units, and conducting multiple training and awareness programmes. Additionally, ICAR-CIFRI also played a key role in helping the communities acquainted with the adverse impacts of natural disasters such as cyclones and floods in this region. Since 2018 the institute has benefited more than 3500 rural Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, including women as a part of Empowering women through Scheduled Caste Sub Plan.

Sagar Island, located at the confluence of Ganga & Bay of Bengal encounters severe climatic challenges, which deeply impact the lives of the fisherfolks. In the last Ten Years ICAR-CIFRI has delved into scientific interventions across Sagar Islands in different spheres of Fish Farming – Backyard Pond Culture; Canal Fisheries; Fisheries in Derelict Waters, which has catapulted the Income Generation thereby marginally augmenting the annual income. Resonating with the need of a Self-Sustained Sundarban, ICAR-CIFRI ushered a new horizon by commissioning a Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Carp Hatchery on 20^th. April, 2025 – which confidently is capable of yielding 1.00 Crores of fish per annum.

The FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic) carp hatchery is a specialised, mobile fish breeding and hatching facility, typically made of fiberglass. It’s designed for efficient fish seed production in diverse field conditions, enabling easy transportation, installation, and operation even in remote areas. This technology, developed by CIFA (Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture) and AICRP on APA, has proven effective for carp seed production and can be a valuable tool for biodiversity conservation.

Components of a Portable FRP Carp Hatchery:

• Spawning/Breeding Pool: A cylindrical tank where fish are bred.
• Hatching/Incubation Pool: Where eggs are incubated and hatch.
• Egg/Spawn Collection Tank: A chamber to collect the newly hatched fry.
• Overhead Storage Tank/Water Supply: Provides a water supply to the hatchery.

Benefits of using FRP:

• Durability and Longevity: FRP is a robust material that can withstand harsh environmental conditions.
• Lightweight and Easy to Transport: FRP is lightweight, making it easier to transport and install.
• Cost-Effective: FRP is a relatively affordable material, making it accessible to farmers

While gracing the August Occasion, Mr. Bankim Chandra Hazra, Honourable Minister of Sundarban Affairs, Government of West Bengal inaugurated the FRP carp hatchery under Tribal Sub plan programme of ICAR-CIFRI in the presence of Dr. B. K. Das, Director, ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore. The FRP hatchery aims to support in achieving the Self-Sustained (Atmanirvar) Sundarban for fish seed production, Livelihood’s development and economic empowerment as well as reduce the dependency on outside fish seed procurement in the Sagar Island.

As a key step toward enhancing the livelihoods of SC women, ICAR-CIFRI conducted input distribution and a mass awareness programme on April 20, 2025 for backyard pond fish culture in Sagar Island under SCSP. The distribution event, held in Rudranagar, Sagar Island was graced by Honourable Minister of Sundarban Affairs, Government of West Bengal.  He highlighted the contribution of ICAR-CIFRI for the livelihood development of fishers in the island, especially for women’s empowerment. Dr. B. K. Das, Director of ICAR-CIFRI, highlighted the importance of scientific fish farming and urged the women beneficiaries to make the best use of the inputs provided by the institute to enhance both income and nutrition.

Under this program, 350 Scheduled Caste women from various Gram Panchayats of the Sagar Community Development Block were benefited. Each beneficiary received 6 kg Indian Major Carp (IMC) fingerlings and 80 kg fish feed for the demonstration. Each of these women possesses small backyard ponds, ranging in size from 0.02 to 0.04 hectares.

This initiative, part of a larger livelihood development program aimed at encouraging sustainable fish production in the Sundarban islands, is designed to garner additional income without interfering with their daily household responsibilities from their backyard ponds and also providing nutritional security.

The programme was successfully coordinated by Dr. P.K. Parida, Senior Scientist with the assistance of Mr. Sujit Chowdhury, Public Relation Officer, and Dr. Shreya Bhattacharya, Project Scientist, ICAR-CIFRI.

Team Maverick