Why Traditional Fish Farming Falls Short
Fishery officer Vinod Verma, speaking to TrendKia, noted that the majority of fish farmers in the region still depend on age-old stocking practices. Under this conventional method, between 1,500 and 20,000 fish seeds are placed in a single acre of pond, producing 20 to 25 quintals of fish in a typical cycle and topping out at roughly 40 quintals even under ideal conditions. With returns capped at these levels, earning meaningful income from fish farming remains difficult for most farmers.
High Density Culture Can Transform Production Numbers
The fisheries department is urging farmers to move toward High Density Culture, a modern technique that dramatically changes the output equation. Using this approach, a single hectare of pond can yield between 60 and 80 quintals of fish, far exceeding what traditional methods achieve. The trade-off is that stocking fish at higher densities raises oxygen demand in the water significantly, making a proper aeration system an essential part of the upgrade.
Government Subsidizing the Cost of Aeration Equipment
To make this shift financially accessible, the government is providing subsidies on pond aeration systems priced at approximately ₹50,000. Fish farmers from the general category are eligible for a 50 percent subsidy on this cost, while those belonging to Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes will receive a higher subsidy of 60 percent. The standard setup consists of a 2 horsepower aeration unit mounted on a paddle lateral frame fitted with four paddles.
Targets Allocated for Mau District
For Mau district, the scheme has set a target of 4 beneficiaries from the general category and 2 from the Scheduled Caste category in this cycle.
Eligibility and Technical Requirements
To qualify, a fish farmer must have a pond ranging in size from half a hectare to 1 hectare. Those with ponds larger than 1 hectare can receive support for up to 2 units per person under the scheme.
Last Date to Apply Is June 28
Applications must be submitted online through the fisheries department's official portal before June 28. Required documents include an Aadhaar card, a bank passbook, and either a lease agreement or the Khatauni land ownership record for the pond.
