Fish is a cheap source of animal protein.
Fish production includes:
- Finned fish also called true fish
- Shellfish; include prawns, mollusks.
There are two ways to obtaining fish;
- From natural resources; also called capture fishing.
- Fish farming; also called culture fishery.
Fishing can be done by both capture and culture of fish in marine and freshwater ecosystems.
Marine Fisheries:
India has a 7500 km long coastline as well as the deep sea.
The popular variety of marine fisheries:
- Pamphlet
- Mackerel
- Tuna
- Sardines
- Bombay Duck
Marine fisheries are caught using fishing nets from fishing boats.
Yields are increased by locating large schools of fish in the open sea using satellite and echo sounds.
High Economic value sea values;
- Finned fish are Mullet, Bhetki, pear sport.
- Shellfish are prawn, mussel, oyster.
- Oysters are cultivated for pearl farming.
- 50 % total export on these fishes
Marine fish stocks get depleted; demand is met by cultural fisheries, a practice called maricultural.
Inland fisheries;
- Freshwater comprises canals, ponds, reservoirs, rivers.
- Brackish water; seawater and freshwater mix together. Estuaries and lagoons.
- Yield is not much high; most fish production from these resources is done through aquaculture.
Fish culture is also done; rice crop + fish
Most intensive fish culture is done.
Composite fish culture system:
Five or fish species are used in a single fishpond.
Species should be combined with different food habit species so that they do not compete for food among them.
For example;
- Catla; surface feeders
- Rohus; middle zone of ponds
- Mrigals and common carps are bottom feeders
- Grass carps feed on weeds.
Major problems;
- Lack of availability of good quality seeds.
- Many fish breed only during the monsoon.
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