Fisheries enhancement through stocking of fingerlings in Indian reservoirs for doubling fisher’s income and livelihood security

Fingerling stocking and culture-based fisheries (CBF) is one of the major fisheries enhancement strategies practiced in reservoirs. In the recent years, the reservoir productivity in the country has improved through adoption of culture based fisheries coupled with financial assistance from National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Govt. of India and technical guidance from ICAR-CIFRI. The present study deals with the assessment of impact of fingerlings stocking on the major carp production in selected reservoirs in three different states. Successful adoption of CBF in 83 small reservoirs of Odisha led to the increase of fish yield to 204-323 kg/ha/yr. Similarly in Chhattisgarh the fish yield increased significantly from 48-160 kg/ha/year after scientific stocking of fingerlings in 34 reservoirs. The fish yield increased from 1.1 kg/ha/yr in 2004-05 to 43.46 kg/ ha/yr in 2017-18 due to adoption of fish stock enhancement strategy in large reservoir of Madhya Pradesh. Stocking and management of fingerlings in these reservoirs resulted in increased availability of fish, enhanced food security, livelihood opportunities and increased farmer’s income.