FEATURECatfish production in India: Present status and by Dr B. Laxmappa, Fisheries Development Officer, Department of Fisheries, C atfish, which is a significant group of the fishes in wetlands, are economically important with a high nutrient value. Catfishes, owing to their unique taste, few bones, are considered a delicacy for the fish consumers, but production of different indigenous catfishes through aquaculture is unexplored in India, although aquaculture contribution of some of the catfish varieties like Ictalurus, Silurus and Clarias spp. has been exemplary in the World scenario. Catfishes are the second major group of freshwater fishes. India, being a mega-diverse country, harbors 197 catfish species from 52 genera. The Indian families include Amblycipitidae (Torrent catfishes), Akysidae (Stream catfishes), Bagridae (Bagrid catfishes), Chacidae (Square head or angler catfish), Clariidae (Air breathing catfishes), Heteropneustidae (Air-sac catfishes), Olyridae (Long-tail catfishes), Pangasiidae (Shark catfishes), Plotosidae (Eel-tail catfishes), Schilbeidae (Schilbid catfishes), Siluridae (Sheat fishes), Sisoridae (Sisorid catfishes). Present status Considering the high market demand for catfish and the availability of a huge potential resource in the form of many inland water resources, commercial farming of these species is presently receiving important attention. In India catfish production is coming from both the systems of inland resources i.e. capture and aquaculture. Capture: The inland water resources of the country are in terms of rivers, estuaries, backwaters and lagoons, reservoirs, floodplain wetlands and upland lakes, which contribute about 1.05 million tonnes of fish annually. The principal rivers of India as Yamuna, Ganga, Brahmaputra, Mahanandi, Godavari, Krishna and Cauvery including their main tributaries and distributaries harbors about 11.5 percent of the fish fauna so far know in the world. Many of the catfish species start from 15 grams size (Mystus tengara) to very large about 50 Kg size (Hemibagrus maydelli) harvested from these water sources in India. And many of the well-known food catfishes are also fine sporting fishes. Aquaculture: Ponds and tanks are the prime resources for freshwa- prospects ter aquaculture; however, only about 40 percent of the available area is used for aquaculture currently. In northern India, open waters with in-flows are common, while southern India has watersheds, termed as tanks, largely used for crop irrigation along with carp fish culture. After carps, catfish production is also Table 1: Catfish production in India from increasing tremen2001 to 2010 dously throughout the Year Inland fish Catfish Catfish India since 2001 (Table: production production % 1). Out of 197 catfish (in tonnes) (in tonnes) species available in 2001 3084247 78367 2.54 Indian region, about 30 2002 3165927 101488 3.20 catfish species are eco2003 3220407 106282 3.30 nomical and which are 2004 3527505 78990 2.23 produced mainly from 2005 3727375 132342 3.55 capture fishery, and a 2006 3750736 130027 3.46 couple of catfish spe2007 4170560 125800 3.01 cies are produced from 2008 3799563 174503 4.59 both the aquaculture and capture fishery in 2009 4660463 179843 3.85 the country (Table: 2). 2010 5077200 212462 4.18 There are six catfish Table 3: Commercially cultured Catfish species in India. Sl. Family No. Common Name Scientific Name 1 Clariidae Magur Clarias batrachus (Linnaeus) 2 Clariidae African catfish or Thai magur Clarias gariepinus (Burchell) 3 Heteropneustidae Singhi or stinging catfish Heteropneustes fossilis 4 Siluridae Butter catfish Ompok bimaculatus 5 Pangasiidae Pangas Pangasius pangasius 6 Pangasiidae Sutchi catfish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus 16 | INTERNATIONAL AQUAFEED | September-October 2015 FEATURE species are cultured in India (Table 3). Among six, only two catfish species viz. Pangasianodon and African catfish culture is intensified in the country due to its higher production rates by using various local as well as commercial feeding methods. Of late, Government of India permitted culture of Pangasianodon and Tilapia species laying down strict guidelines as an alternative crop to carp fishes. Pangasius sutchi or Pangasianodon hypophthalmus one of the swift growing catfishes was first introduced into India in the year 1995–1996 in the state of West Bengal from Thailand through Bangladesh. Initially Table 2: Important commercial Catfish species and source of production in India Sl. No. 1 farming was carried out in limited area in the States of West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. This fish grows to 1–1.5 kg during one year. A minimum of 10–15 tonnes/hectare/year is harvested through due to culture of this fish. In commercial culture of Pangasianodon farmers are using both pelleted and extruded feeds. Due to high feed cost and fluctuation in production costs, in some areas farmers are using local feeds like cooked corn grains, broken rice, chicken waste etc. African catfish or Thai magur, Clarias gariepinus culture was banned in India under Environment Protection Act. But many fishermen still cultivating this banned catfish illegally in village ponds to make a quick buck. This species was clandestinely introduced into the state of West Bengal possibly during 1994 from neighboring Bangladesh and quickly spread throughout the country, including into cold regions as well as coastal areas. It is largely cultured in the states of West Bengal, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Assam, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Clarias gariepinus is usually fed waste intestines and skin of chickens so it grows fast than compared to other local species catfish or carp’s fish with low feeding cost. Species Family Source of production Common name Scientific name Gangetic mystus Mystus cavasius (Hamilton) Bagridae Capture Prospects 2 Day’s mystus Mystus bleekeri (Day) Bagridae Capture 3 Tengara mystus Mystus tengara (Hamilton) Bagridae Capture 4 Gogra rita Rita gogra (Sykes) Bagridae Capture 5 Giant river catfish Aorichthys seenghala (Sykes) Bagridae Capture 6 Long-whiskerd catfish Aorichthys aor (Hamilton) Bagridae Capture Capture 7 Krishna mystus Hemibagrus maydelli (Rossell) Bagridae 8 Indian butter-catfish Ompok bimaculatus (Bloch) Siluridae Capture 9 Pabdah catfish Ompok pabda (Hamilton) Siluridae Capture & Aquaculture 10 Boal Wallago attu (Bloch & Schneider) Siluridae Capture 11 White catfish Silonia children (Sykes) Schilbidae Capture 12 Khavalchor catfish Neotropius khavalchor Kulkarni Schilbidae Capture 13 Goongwaree vacha Eutropiichthys goongwaree (Sykes) Schilbidae Capture 14 Indian potasi Pseudeutropius atherinoides (Bloch) Schilbeidae Capture 15 Gangetic goonch Bagarius bagarius (Hamilton) Sisoridae Capture 16 Stinging catfish Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch) Heteropneustidae Capture & Aquaculture 17 Magur Clarias batrachus (Linnaeus) Clariidae Capture & Aquaculture 18 African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell)* Clariidae Aquaculture 19 Pungas Pangasius pangasius (Hamilton) Pangasidae Capture 20 Sutchi catfish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus* Pangasidae Aquaculture *Exotic species Aquaculture in India has become an industry since late eighties with several entrepreneurs taking up aquaculture with carps, catfishes and prawns. Of late, Government of India has also identified catfish farming as a National Priority and has emphasised on diversification of culture practices. The major chunk of catfish, however, comes from capture resources, which includes air breathing as well as non-air-breathing varieties. Airbreathing catfishes have greater potentiality to utilise shallow, swampy, marshy and derelict water-bodies for aquaculture; whereas nonair-breathing catfishes can be well suited to normal pond environment. Among the catfishes magur, Clarias batrachus is the only species that has received much attention. Singhi, Heteropneustes fossilis is another air-breathing catfish species being cultured to a certain extent in swamps and derelict water bodies, especially in the eastern states. In recent years, attempts have been made to develop the culture of non-air breathing catfishes like Pangasius pangasius, Wallagoattu, Aorichthys seenghala, A. aor and Ompok pabda. September-October 2015 | INTERNATIONAL AQUAFEED | 17
Report "Catfish production in India: Present status and prospects"