Title : Haringhata fish: A concept of responsible farming with sensible marketing for better livelihood and sustainable development
Abstract:
In Purba Bardhaman district a study was conducted in ponds under semi-intensive (one control and two treatments) culture conditions to evaluate the quality of fish specifically food-fish, particularly Indian Major Carps, and air-breathing teleosts reared in a ratio of 2:5:1:1 for a specific duration of ninety days both during breeding and dry seasons. These fishes were fed only "farm-feed" (4-5% day-1): control (C), choline chloride (Treatment A: 350 g 15 days-1bigha-1) with "farm-feed", and HumiflocTM (Treatment B: 1.75 kg 15 days-1 bigha-1) plus "farm-feed". Results from serological, scanning electron microscopy, and histochemical analyses showed a significant increase in productivity. Enriched-quality food fish for human consumption was also demonstrated by nutritional and fatty acid composition data of cultivated fish species. In contrast to another study, two benthic fish species, exposed to PTMs and PAHs in the Digha coastal belt, West Bengal displayed concerning results, depicting leukaemia (Polycythaemia vera, lymphoproliferative disease, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma). Thus, based on the prevailing studies, now, the Haringhata® Fish (chilled fish) is produced in a "responsibly farmed" condition and is currently being sold to consumers through West Bengal Livestock Development Corporation Limited through its sensible marketing channels. So, it can be inferred from these two distinct studies that the source of fish and the adopted fish-culture technique are quite important for providing quality food-fish for mammalian consumption. Thus, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are ultimately achieved by enriching two sectors: producers (fish farmers) through socio-economic advancement and consumers (mammals) through the provision of high-quality food-fish.
