Fishing and aquaculture practices in India has a long history. Kautilya’s “Arthashasthra”(BC. 321-300) and King Someswara’s “Manasoothra”(A.D1127) refer about the fish cultural practices.In eastern India , hundreds of years ago the culturing of fishes on small ponds was practiced.
Brackish water aquaculture also an age old practice comprises Bhery or Bhasa-badha fishery in West Bengal and Pokkali shrimp farming in Kerala. These practices not use any additional knowledge and Technologies rather than trapping of naturally breeded juveniles of fishes and prawns. Traditional practices have low productivity but the culture coast is very low so Nowadays also these type of fish cultural practices are followed in some areas.
Commonly three traditional ways are practiced widely.
1. Paddy cultivation during rainy season (June-September) followed by fish or shrimp culture. eg: Pokkali
2. Fish or Prawn culture through out the year. This is on deep fields on eastern India
3. Paddy come fish culture. Mainly on W. Bengal and Goa.
BHERY CULTURE OR BHASA-BADHA FISHERIES
it is a traditional practices on the low laying areas of Sunderben region in West Bengal.
Bheries : They are chiefly large perenial water bodies surrounded by earthen dykes which are constructed by borrowing earth form the trenches excavated inside the bheries near the toe line of the dykes. The bheries are deeper and larger in extent than the pokkali fields of Kerala.
These fields have sluices on marginal bandhs. During high tide the sea water enters to the fields but at low tide the water flow back through sluices which are covered with screen made up by bamboo slates. The screen prevent the escaping of fish or shrimp juvaniles.The juveniles on Bheries grow using the organic matter and planktons on sea water and without use any external feeds.
The water on the fields continuously replenished by the tidal water flow. The fish or shrimp grow up to marketable size and then harvested. The stocking of fishes done on during the months of January to February. In Bhery culture system the average productivity is 168-672kg/Ha/Yr.
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| Bheri practice in Bengal |
Photo Credits - https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zv03OYNpjmI/maxresdefault.jpg
POKKALI IN KERALA
The pokkali culture also similar to bhery practice. The traditional shrimp farming on pokkali fields are called 'Chemmeen Vattu‘, ‘Chemmeen Kettu' or 'Adappu'.
Pokkali fields are less deeper than bheries and in these the rice and prawns are cultured. In Pkkali fields, the soil is stiff and impervious clay, rich in organic matter as deposits of plants and shells.Where a localy available high salinity tolerant rice variety "Pokkali" is cultivated after mansoon (June-October). For the paddy cultivation the peripheral bundhs are strengthened by planting mangroves, or using bamboo slates and splitted coconut stakes during monsoon. The fresh rain water drain out the salts and reduce salinity, on this fields the paddy is cultivated and the rice is harvested on october to November.
After harvesting rice, the bundhs( or sluices) are opened. So the sea water enters to the fields. This fields used for shrimp culture. For culturing, the bundhs separating the fields are strengthened and the inflow and outflow of the water regulated through sluice gates. The stocking of the field is done by the incoming tidal water. Water is let in Water is let in during high tide and let out during low tide keeping a close bamboo screen at the mouth of the sluice to prevent the shrimp from escaping.
The seed thus entered into the field is allowed to grow for a short period by feeding on the natural food available. The stock is harvest when it reaches to marketable size.“Kettukalakkal” is a celebration after harvesting the stock , in which all peoples related to the area come and fishing on the shrimp cultural pond.
Metapenaeus monoceros -4%
Penaeus monodon – 1%
Metapenaeus dobsoni- 55%
Pokkali fields are less deeper than bheries and in these the rice and prawns are cultured. In Pkkali fields, the soil is stiff and impervious clay, rich in organic matter as deposits of plants and shells.Where a localy available high salinity tolerant rice variety "Pokkali" is cultivated after mansoon (June-October). For the paddy cultivation the peripheral bundhs are strengthened by planting mangroves, or using bamboo slates and splitted coconut stakes during monsoon. The fresh rain water drain out the salts and reduce salinity, on this fields the paddy is cultivated and the rice is harvested on october to November.
The seed thus entered into the field is allowed to grow for a short period by feeding on the natural food available. The stock is harvest when it reaches to marketable size.“Kettukalakkal” is a celebration after harvesting the stock , in which all peoples related to the area come and fishing on the shrimp cultural pond.
SPECIESES CULTURED
penaeus indicus – 42%
Metapenaeus dobsoni- 55%
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