WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • DECEMBER 2016 63 Limited, VIP Road, Sixmile, Guwahati, Assam-781036. * Corresponding author – dkmeenafnb@gmail.com References Anonymous. 2015a. Annual Report 2014-15. Department of Animal Husbandry Dairying and Fisheries. Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. Anonymous. 2015b. Fisheries Profile of India. Department of Animal Husbandry Dairying and Fisheries. Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. Das, A., B. Debnath, T.G. Choudhury, D. Roy, B. Saha, A. Paul. 2013. Indigenous technical knowledge for pond maintenance, fish health management and fish seed in Tripura, India. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge 12(1):66-71. Gogoi, B., A. Kachari, R. Dutta, A. Darshan and D.N. Das. 2015. Fishery based livelihood approaches and management of fishery resources in Assam, India. International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies 2(4): 327-330. Hariharan, P. and S. Manimaran. 2014. ICP-MS technique for quantification of potassium and sodium in spray-dried extract of shoot juice of banana plant (Musa balbisiana) responsible for antiurolithiatic and diuretic activity. International Journal of Medicinal Chemistry and Analysis 4(3):170-174. Jhingran, V.G. and R.S.V. Pullin. 1988. A hatchery manual for the common Chinese and Indian major carps. ICLARM Studies and Reviews 11. Kalita, B., M. Choudhury and S.N. Ojha. 2004. Indigenous technical knowledge on pond construction and maintenance, fish seed transportation and fish health management in Assam hills. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge 3(2):192-197. OCED (Office of Community and Economic Development). 2005. The Measurement of Scientific and Technological Activities: Proposed Guidelines for Collecting and Interpreting Technological Innovation Data. Oslo Manual, European Commission. culture in these ponds was infestation of noxious weeds, especially water hyacinth, mainly brought about by seasonal floods. Mukunda Saikia, a farmer from Bortharabari village, Darrang district, Assam, devised an innovative method of utilizing such water bodies by constructing floating beds for cultivation of leafy vegetables. With this technique, water hyacinth was gathered in one corner of the backyard pond. This made the remaining portion of the water body free from weeds and rendered it suitable for fish culture. Water hyacinth was arranged in layers one above the other and then covered with a layer of soil and cow dung to form a floating bed, which was, then, regularly watered. A portion of the water hyacinth was also decomposed on the pond bank. After about four days, a thin layer of decomposed water hyacinth was spread over the bed. The bed was surrounded with small-mesh netting tied to bamboo poles. This technique could be quite useful in flood-prone districts of Assam, where weed infestation of water bodies had been detrimental to proper utilization. Conclusion Most of these innovative aquaculture practices are cost-effective and easy to implement. These techniques pay dividends to the farmers. In a country like India, where the majority are smallscale fish farmers and a great share of them suffer from financial constraints, the knowledge of such techniques can be a boon. Innovation drives growth and is essential for addressing global and social changes. There is a need to empower people to innovate and then create and apply such knowledge. Notes Simanku Borah, B.K. Bhattacharjya, K.K. Sarma, ICAR-CIFRI Regional Centre, Housefed Complex, Dispur, Guwahati, Assam-781006 * Dharmendra Kumar Meena, ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore, Kolkata, West Bengal–700120 Utpal Kumar Das, Assam Fisheries Development Corporation FIGURE 4. Fish seed transport in bamboo containers (duli) lined with polyethylene (left). Preparation of the fish seed container prior to transport (right). Most of these innovative aquaculture practices are cost-effective and easy to implement. These techniques pay dividends to the farmers.
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