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Breeding of Carps Using a Low-Cost, Small-Scale Hatchery in Assam, India

A Farmer Proven Technology

Document format: pdf

Publisher: Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific

Creation date: March 2003

In the last three decades the Indian fish seed production industry has recorded a remarkable growth. From earthen "pit" hatcheries used for hatching eggs there has been a tremendous development in incubation techniques. The most large scale commercial hatcheries of today are of the Chinese type wherein all activities such as raising the brood stock, breeding and spawn rearing is undertaken. The improved technologies of breeding, hatching and rearing have increased the fish seed production of the country significantly in recent times. A large number of hatcheries have been designed in India for breeding and hatching of carps eggs since the first successful induced breeding of these fish in India in 1957. Rural fish seed production through small-scale hatcheries continues to be a focus of attention in many developing countries. The wider implications of the role of small-scale hatcheries to provide fish seed for farmers in rural areas and the future of public sector involvement are gaining increasing importance. In an earlier attempt we successfully introduced a small-scale hatchery using locally available cheap resources for poor farmers in rural Cambodia. The hatchery comprised of a human powered bicycle pump to access a deep bore well, water jars, a breeding pool and hatching jars. Privately operated hatcheries can be expected to play an increasing role in providing the basic input - fish seed for rural fish production. However, documentation of small-scale hatcheries in terms of their development, production methods and profitability is scanty. A three year long participatory small-scale rural aquaculture project was undertaken between 1998-2001 with a basic objective to introduce small-scale fish culture to homestead ponds of a tribal area in Assam, India. During the second year of operation, it was realized that unless the basic input i.e. fish seeds were made locally available, aquaculture would remain a remote fantasy for these resource-poor farmers. Therefore, a low-cost carp hatchery was designed commissioned at a village, Palasaguri near Amsoi in Nagaon district with active participation of the target farmers.

Key Words: NACA • India • Carp • Small-scale Hatchery • Seed and Fry Production • Production Economics • FAO