An International Collaborative Initiative on Small Fish Breeding and Conservation teeming in Northeastern Indian States

In a significant development aimed at enabling Northeastern India states in the realm of small fish breeding and conservation, GIZ and WorldFish recently organised a valuable inter-state exposure and knowledge exchange visit. The event, held at WorldFish’s partner hatchery in the Darrang district of Assam from May 9-10, 2024, was a collaborative effort under the Indo-German projects “Protection and Sustainable Management of Aquatic Resources in the North-Eastern Himalayan Region of India (NERAQ)” and “Taking Nutrition-Sensitive Carp-SIS Polyculture Technology to Scale.” Participants from various government departments and institutions across Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Nagaland partook in the event, including representatives from the Departments of Fisheries, the Meghalaya Biodiversity Board, the Department of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, and the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS).

In NE India, small indigenous fish species (SIS) play a crucial role in the local diet, providing essential nutrients such as vitamin A, iron, calcium, and vitamin B12. These species are not only culturally significant but also economically important. In this context, the objectives of the exposure visit were to learn breeding and rearing techniques for SIS from successful examples, facilitate knowledge exchange among stakeholders, and empower government officials to ensure sustainable production and management of these crucial species.

Sustainable aquaculture practices are essential to conserve these vital species and safeguard the cultural heritage and nutritional security of traditional communities. The exposure visit sought to enhance knowledge sharing and capacity-building among stakeholders to ensure the sustainable production and management of these crucial species, with a focus on advanced breeding and conservation techniques highlighted during the presentation sessions.