Sewage-fed pisciculture is an important part of the augmentation of fish production activities undertaken in the East Kolkata Wetlands and a few other parts of the state. The uniqueness of these wetlands is that the sewage and wastewater of the city get treated in a natural way through the practice of sewage-fed pisciculture. By using Kolkata’s sewage water for pisciculture, these wetlands have become a unique eco-system for natural treatment of sewage water. But, it is important to note here that this sewage fed fisheries are facing certain problems such as siltation, an insufficient supply of sewage water in the fisheries and a decline in the quality of nutrients in the sewage water, escalating costs for production in terms of input costs etc. Keeping this fact in mind and for the preservation and sustainable development of the sewage-fed fisheries a scheme named “Development of sewage-fed fisheries” (with Single Stocking Multiple Harvesting) has been formulated by the Fisheries Department.

Assistance under this scheme has been provided in terms of Carp Fingerlings (10-12 cm size) @20000 no/ha, Lime (Calcium oxide), and Nutritionally balanced floating feed as Government Contributions. Beneficiary contributions are Pond preparation, Nutritionally balanced floating feed, Prophylactics & Medicine lump sum amount, Labour Charges with periodical netting and harvesting expenses lump sum amount. The unit area of the Scheme is 1.0 ha. The ideal season for stocking fish under this scheme in June - July.

• Government assistance is of Rs. 2.64 lakh. Fish seed and lime and 50% of total requirement of feed is provided under this scheme.