Chuadanga District Fisheries Department has fixed to produce 24, 181 metric tonnes of fishes in the fiscal year of 2022-23 in four upazilas of Chuadanga district for minimize the demand of local consumers.
The upazila wise production of fishes are- 6,249 metric tons in Sadar Upazila, 5070 metric tonnes in Damurhuda Upazila, 8012 metric tonnes in Alamdanga Upazila and 4850 metric tonnes in Jibannagar Upazila, it is learnt form Ataur Rahman, Fish Survey Officer of District Fisheries Office.
Fish Farming in Chuadanga is playing an important role to make income of educated youths, fishermen, fish growers and others. About 5,112 card holder fishermen and 8,426 fish growers have been cultivating different type of fishes in ponds, rivers and beels in the upazilas of the district for maintaining their families and meeting up the demands of local people.
It may be mentioned here, upazila wise fishermen card holders are- 878 in Sadar Upazila, 1052 in Jibannagar Upazila, 1595 in Damurhuda Upazila and 1587 in Alamdanga Upazila.
It is learnt, Chuadanga is surrounded by rivers, Beels and various types of water bodies like ponds. A major part of the total population of the area are directly and indirectly with fish farming or fish related business. Many educated youths of the area are directly engaged with commercial fish farming in the district. The economy of Chuadanga is mostly dependent on agriculture and fish farming. So fish farming has eliminated unemployment and enriched the economy of the area.
Monoronjon Haldar, a fisherman from village Nehalpur in sadar upazila of the district said, the fishes are rui, katla, telapia, grass carp, common carp, chital, pabda, shrimp, shol, gozar, mrigal, catfish, koi, magur, pakal, tura etc. Some fishermen and growers feed the fishes natural feed and has no interest in supplementary fish feeding. For that reason, fishes from this area gains reputation of being healthy food items.
Sheikh Sumon, a fish grower in Munsipara in Chuadanga said, for commercial production and high profit we have to feed the fish high quality and nutritious food items. These types of prepared fish feed for commercial production are available in the markets. Feed the fishes twice a day. Once early in the morning and another at evening. It is learnt from Bijoy Kumar Haldar of village Nishchintopur in Jibannagar upazila of the district, test the water, soil and fish health on a regular basis. Make a stock of necessary medicines and use them timely if something goes wrong. Prevent entrance of all types of harmful animals and predators like frogs, snakes etc.
Marketing fish products in Chuadanga is very easy. All types of fish has a huge demand in the local markets. Never think over selling of fish. After fishing it is to send to markets for selling, the buyers buy these with cordially considered price, Monjurul Islam Belal of village Khashkowra in Alamdanga upazila said.
It is learnt, many educated youths and other professionals meet with concerned fish department experts and well known fishermen for getting advice on fish cultivation. Accordingly officials and others motivate them to cultivate fishes at their areas as entrepreneurs.
Dipok Kumar Paul, District Fisheries Officer, said fish farming in Chuadanga is absolutely a lucrative business. Anyone can do this business along with his own job.
He also stated, `my suggestions and advice to the fish growers and fishermen, following modern technology, feeding nutritious items to fishes, collection high quality of fish fries and releasing these into water bodies for production of huge quantity of fishes’.
