CM for aggressive business policy for fishery sector

While chairing a review meeting of the Fishery Department at the conference room of his office at Jata Bhawan on Monday, Sonowal also directed the department to amend the ‘Assam Fishery Rules, 1953’ with adequate clauses to root out monopoly in the sector. He also asked the department to bring suitable legislation to upgrade the department into an Administrative Department to exclusively deal with its revenue matters.

“Fish farming has tremendous potential in Assam. An aggressive business policy coupled with scientific research for augmenting fish farming will help in branding Assam fish to tap the tiol and intertiol market. Such an environment would also draw talented youth of the state into this profession and double farmers’ income,” Sonowal observed.

Stating that traditiol method of fish farming in Assam needs scientific support to cope with the rising demand of fish in the market, he directed the department to conduct research in the field to identify habitation requirements to suit the needs of different types of fishes found in the state. Sonowal also suggested measures like boosting fingerling stocking in tural water bodies and experiment on cage fishing in tural water channels for enhanced fish production.

Underscoring the urgent need to end monopoly in the business and plug loopholes in revenue collection, the Chief Minister asked the department to incorporate new clauses such as production promotion activities for the lessees and upgrading the department into an administrative department. Moreover, suggesting steps to control malpractice by the lessees and monitoring fish farming activities, he directed the department to carry out physical survey of all its property and promote new entrepreneurs with modern marketing strategies.

Further, the Chief Minister also emphasized branding Assam fish banking on its quality and variants and asked the department to glamorize the trade by adopting appropriate promotion policy. Steps like organizing Fish festival to showcase the varieties of fishes of the state and awarding best fish farmers were also suggested by the Chief Minister to encourage competitiveness amongst fish farmers of the state.