Viability of Fresh water fish culture in mini pond.

Dear friends,

I am a beneficiary under Tamilnadu ‘IAMWARM’-Phase-II, Nitchebanathi river/ Kalingalar sub-basin scheme through which a farm pond was excavated in my field by Agricultural Engineering Department of Tirunelveli.

I am greatly benefitted by the above scheme particularly from the pond wherein I was able to store the harvested rain water for a period of more than 4 months resulting in good water supply in my nearby open well.

The policy makers of the above project have devised a plan to promote aquaculture in these ponds to augment some income generation to the farmers. They envisaged a net revenue of Rs.10000/- per pond and farmers were provided with fishlings, fish feed and fish culture techniques free of cost by the Fisheries Department.

My experience as a first time fish farmer was rather good (or should I say 'palatable') since I had been getting fish to my kitchen throughout the year. On this account, I hereby express my wholehearted thanks to the officials who trained me well in fresh water aquaculture.

• Economic viability of Aquaculture in small Farm ponds:

It is clearly stated in trial reports and text books of Fisheries College and Research Institute that inland fresh water aquaculture in such small ponds as 'unviable' due to various factors. This assessment is found to be correct in my experience also.

The details of fish varieties released in the pond, quantity of feed provided and the quantity of fish harvested are given below:

1. Pond size : Top 42m x 24m, Bottom 40m x 22m, Depth 1.45m.


2. Initial stocking date: : 23-12-2009


3. Fish varieties and quantity released: Katla–400 + Rogu–200 + Mirugal –400 = 1000. (Roughly 1 fish per 1 square metre. These Gangetic carp varieties can withstand tough climatic conditions when compared to native varieties)


4. Inputs from the farm provided as fish feed: Groundnut cake 100 Kg, Cow dung 4 tractor loads, rice bran, harvested grain residues of black gram, red gram and paddy, rice unfit for human consumption, cooked rice and other crop residues.


5. Fish feed supplied by the Dept.(FREE of cost) : 600 Kg. (“Grobest Fish feed -9201' - 50 Kg.x 12 bags, Value Rs.12,000/-) Daily feeding rate @2 to 3% of total fish body weight for 2 times per day.


6. Date of Harvest : 04-04-2011


7. Yield : 447 kg.


8. Average weight of fish : 650 gm.


9. Harvest charges : NIL (Included in the price)


10. Selling Price : Rs. 45 per Kg.


11. Gross income : Rs.20,115/-

• Notes:


• We were able to store rain water initially for 4 months from Jan 09 to Apr 09 and then for 2 months from Nov 10 to Dec 10 only and for the rest of the period well water was used to maintain a very low water level of 1.5 feet only.


• Due to low water level and scanty feeding there was no marked improvement in ‘weight gain’ of fishes noticed after Oct,2010.


• No mortality even during peak summer periods when the water level was as low as 1 feet.


• No infections or diseases noticed.


• Weight of Mirugal and Rogu (min.500 gm to max 750 gm) were better than Katla which had not gained weight more than 0.350 gm. Few CC varieties which some how got mixed with the fishlings gained a weight in the range of 2 to 2.5 Kg.


• The total cost of fishlings at the time of initial stocking, value of feed provided to the fishes and the labour cost involved for feeding and pond maintenance came to Rs.20000/- approx. Please note that the gross income from the sale of harvested fish was also Rs.20000/- approx. So, there was no profit or no gain for an one year effort.


• Cost of fishlings Rs.2000 + Cost of Fish feed Rs.12,000/- totaling Rs.14000 was fully paid by the Fisheries Department. What would have happened to me if I had purchased fishlings and the fish feed out of my pocket is anybody's guess!

Yours friendly, A.Vishnu Sankar