Bhubaneswar, March 31 (IANS) Fish production in the world famous Chilika Lake in Orissa is expected to cross 12,000 tonnes this fiscal, a senior official said Thursday.
Chief executive officer of the Chilika Development Authority Ajit Patnaik said fish production had declined rapidly in the early eighties following ecological degradation of the lake.
However, intervention for restoration of the lake with opening of a new mouth in 2000 resulted in significant rise in fish production, he told IANS.
While the fish production was at all time low of 1,274 tonnes in 1995-96, there was a sudden rise after the intervention, he said.
The average fish landing during 2001-02 to 2009-10 has been on an average 11,676 tonnes per annum showing a significant increase of 569 percent over the earlier years (1999-2000).
During this financial year, the annual fish production from the lake is likely to exceed 12,000 tonnes mark, he said.
Chilika, spread across the districts of Puri, Khurdha and Ganjam along the east coast, is the largest brackish water lake in Asia covering an area of over 1,100 sq km.
A recent study has revealed that about 317 varieties of fish species found in the lake are free from any toxicity. The lake fishery supports the livelihood of more than two lakh fisher folk living in and around the lake.
Economic valuation of the annual fish landings during 2001-10 ranged from Rs.57.16 crore to Rs.84.52 crore, he said.
