Imphal: Ngasep fish, regarded as one of endangered indigenous fish species in Manipur, has now got an opportunity to expand its inhabitation in state with the initiation of an exclusive Ngasep farm at Naharup Makha Pat in Imphal East.
Thokchom Saratchandra is the farmer who has just started the exclusive fish farm aiming high to save the endangered species and to expand Ngasep populace in the state.
To materialise his dream Saratchandra procured 20, 000 Ngasep fingerlings from Anand Hatchery, Kolkata.
As the fingerlings of Ngasep is not available in Manipur he had to procure them from Kolkata, he said while interacting with Pothashang.
Saratchandra was a paddy farmer. He decided to take up multiple cropping with the addition of his new venture on fishery. For this he dug a canal at the boundary of his paddy field.
The ‘tasty’ indigenous fishes of Manipur, according to environmentalists Dr. Kh Shamungou Singh, was abundantly available before and around 1970. However, after the installation of Loktak project the fish world in the state had suddenly changed.
With the installation of Ithai barrage at Loktak the entry of indigenous fish from Ningthi Turel (river) in the river and lakes of Manipur has been blocked, Saratchandra said.
Fish farmers in Manipur has taken up Ngaton and Pengba farming and saved the endangered species from extinction from the water bodies of Manipur, he added.
Ngaton and Pengba fishes were two among endangered species in Manipur.
Saratchandra believes that he would be the first farmer to adopt exclusive Ngasep farming in the state. He said he was told by Kolkata hatchery people that no farmer from Manipur have so far procured Ngasep fingerlings from the hatchery.
The fingerlings would be matured in 4-5 months. It will weigh about 50 gm when matured, he said. Saratchandra released the fingerlings into his farm on April 25.
Each fingerlings costs Rs 3. 20. Mortality rate is 10 percent. With this about 5, 000 fingerlings may be wasted to snakes and frogs, he said.
Saratchandra wishes to take up breeding of Ngasep to distribute its fingerlings to interested farmers.
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