Nepalgunj, Mar. 27:It has been found that there is increased feasibility of the development of fish farming in Banke district. Further developed of fish farming in the lakes and ponds here would go a long way in helping the farmers raise their income, increase employment opportunities decrease the income of fishes from India, it is believed.

The output of fishes in the district is sufficient to meet the local requirement for four to five months only.

Mostly, customers and traders both go to fish ponds to buy fishes for personal consumption and for selling respectively.

Even if the production of fishes is increased three to four time the present, there will be no problem of marketing it.

According to the district agriculture development office, the output of fish at 130 hectare of ponds and lakes is 260 metric ton and the number of farmers engaged in this vocation is around 150. The output is 2 metric ton per hectare. There is one fish nursery and the area covered by water such as ponds and lakes not used for growing fishes is 100 hectare.

The office has provided 1,505,000 fingerlings this year to develop pisciculture in the district. It is also conducting programmes such as techniques of growing more fishes, know-how for cultivating big fishes, method of growing fishes in paddy field, use of lime in ponds, etc.

The office has also imparted training to the farmers on the use of meals for fish, method of testing water and construction of ponds. It also organises tour programmes and holds competition to the farmers engaged in fish farming.

Target has been set this year to design a pocket programme to increase the output to 3.5 metric ton per hectare.

Fingerlings are supplied from Radhepur Agriculture Hatchery and Vijaya Fish Nursery as there is no centre at the government level to distribute it in the midwestern region.

New ponds have to be constructed and old ones utilised to encourage fish farming in the district, it is felt.

It is also said that the concerned agencies should pay attention to undertake repairs and maintenance works of natural lakes and ponds and bring these to use.