ICAR-CIFRI Releases Fish Fingerlings in River Ganga at Kalna, West Bengal Under National Ranching Programme

A river ranching program under 'National River Ranching Programme-2023' was conducted by ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore at Mahismardini Ghat, Kalna (East Burdwan District), West Bengal on August 23, 2023.

In continuation of the national river Ranching programme which was initiated on April 5 2023 from Nabadwip, West Bengal the program was carried out at different stretches spanning across 3 different states. To date, more than 27 lakhs of fish fingerlings were ranched during the period of April to August 2023.

During the event, a total of 1.56 lakhs of advanced fingerlings (> 450g) of Indian Major Carps were released in the river by Dr B. K. Das, Director, ICAR CIFRI along with CIFRI NMCG team members.

The event was also marked by the gathering of 58 local fisherwomen and fishermen from nearby areas belonging to the SC/ST community. A mass awareness on sustainable fisheries and dolphin conservation was also conducted at Mahismardini Ghat, Kalna among the gathered fishers. Director ICAR CIFRI highlighted the importance of the river Ganga in our daily life. He urged the local community not to throw any plastics and other anthropogenic waste into the river water.

Further, he also addressed the local fishers to avoid indiscriminate catching juvenile and brood fishes.

Also, he talked about the present ranching initiatives taken up by ICAR CIFRI for the last five years. The importance of River Ganga and the initiative taken by the National Mission for Clean Ganga program was also exhibited among the local fisher community.