10,000 rare Mahseer fingerlings released to Harangi River at Koodige

Kushalnagar: There are many possibilities of utilising Harangi Reservoir in Kodagu and its backwaters. One among them is fishing and fisheries development. Realising this potential, an exclusive fishing cultivation pond will be set up at Kushalnagar with Rs. 2 crore assistance from National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). 

The Bhoomi Puja for the 2-acre pond was performed recently in Kushalnagar by Madikeri MLA M.P. Appachu Ranjan. Speaking on the occasion, the MLA said Harangi was one of the major reservoirs built across River Cauvery. “Due to the reservoir, there are great possibilities of pisciculture in a large scale due to abundant availability of water backed by groundwater support. Rare fish varieties like the Mahseer can be cultivated and six such ponds will be constructed in the land owned by the Fisheries Department,” he said. 

Traditional fishing is being held from many years in the backwaters of Harangi, which spreads over 1,886 hectares in area. Lakhs of fingerlings are released into the reservoir every year. “As part of the project, fish cultivation enclosure has been set up in the backwaters of Harangi Reservoir and the sample of fish is being collected to study the growth of fingerlings, said Sachin, Assistant Director, Harangi Fish Rearing Centre. 

He added that the Centre was set up by the Government 25 years back to support farmers who are willing to rear fish in the cultivation ponds. Varieties of fish, including Mahseer, Katla and Rohu, are reared in the Centre. Along with these, fingerlings procured from Kabini and Bhadra reservoirs are being provided to farmers at subsidised costs, he said. 

On the occasion, over 10,000 Mahseer fingerlings were released to 5.6 km Harangi River stretch from the Dam to Koodige Bridge. “Through this, we intend to cultivate the Mahseer fish that is on the verge of extinction. Fishing has been banned on this particular stretch to save the Mahseer variety,” he added.