Fisheries

The Assistant Director of Fisheries Office is the only office of the Department of Fisheries in Idukki District functioning at Kumily in Peermade taluk since 1986. The primary objective of the Department is to implement schemes for the welfare and development of inland fishermen of the district. Fish farmers Development Agency (FFDA), Idukki started functioning from the same office in 1991 with the objective of promoting scientific fish culture. FFDA is an agency under the Department of Fisheries with District Collector as Executive Director and District Panchayat President as Chairman, which implements the various Aquaculture projects of the government namely, Janakeeya Matsya Krishi, Innovative Aquaculture Project & Blue Revolution Scheme.

Idukki is abound with diverse types of water bodies like, natural ponds, quarry ponds, vast check dams in cardamom and tea plantations & paduthakulam, which offer tremendous scope for aquaculture development. Due to the persistent efforts of the Department, an area of 400 hectares of waterbodies have been brought under aquaculture with an average productivity of 2 tons/hectare.

At present, the department is aiming to increase aquaculture productivity to 4.5 tons/ha through implementation of projects like Model Fresh water fish farms, Recirculatory Aquaculture System and GIFT Tilapia Farming. The Inland Fisheries & Aquaculture Act 2010 makes it mandatory for farmers to register their fish farms, the provisions of the Act are being implemented by the department staff.

The conservation and Management Aspects of Inland fishery resources are also taken care of by the Department. In this regard, Ranching programmes are being organised frequently in which hatchery produced seeds of commercial fishes are released into natural waterbodies with a view to augmenting the fish production and improving the income levels of registered fishermen who are mostly tribals fishing from Idukki, Thekkady and Kulamavu reservoirs. To give thrust to conservation aspects and ensure sustainable exploitation of fishery resources, Fisheries Management Councils (FMC) have been constituted at Vandiperiyar, Erattayar, Rajakkadu and Arakkulam with participation of Gramapanchayat Presidents, ward members, fishermen and department officials.

For fishermen registered with Kerala Fisheries Welfare Fund Board, the department is implementing housing and sanitation projects, in addition to providing educational assistance to their children. The Co-operative wing of the Department is functioning under a Fisheries Development Officer and there are 8 registered fishermen co-operative societies in the district. The department has provision to provide these societies with fishing implements like boat, net, life jackets etc.

Projects Implemented directly by the District Fisheries Office, Idukki

Activities

1. Registration and Licensing of Aquaculture Farms as per the inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2010
2. Registration of Gift Tilapia Farms
3. Grants letters to fish Farmers for submitting to KSEB office availing electricity charges at reduced tariff fish culture.
4. Disease Monitoring Cell of FFDA, Idukki offer technical help to farmer for managing fish diseases
5. Conducts ranching programmes in inland water bodies to augment fish productionand income of tribal inland fishermen
6. Offers technical support for fish culture and conducts training programmes in “Scientific Fish Culture”.