WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • JUNE 2019 65 (CONTINUED ON PAGE 66) with vast and varied water resources that are inhabited by 296 fish species, of which 160 are endemic to the region (Sarkar et al. 2010). Around 250 species are identified as potential ornamental fish species, of which 157 species are exported, mostly through collection from wild resources (Mahapatra et al. 2005). There is high demand for indigenous fish in the North Eastern Region as nearly all people of the states in the region are fish eaters. Fish production from this region has increased from 241,000 t in 2004-2005 to 372,000 t in 2013-2014. The trend belies a paradoxical picture as domestic fish production is lagging far behind the demand for fish to feed the growing population. The per capita consumption of fish in this region is much below the level recommended by the WHO as well as the national average. Therefore, judicious utilization of the available water resources for fish production is the need of the hour for nutritional uplifting of rural farm families and meeting market demand. Homestead Pond Aquaculture in the North Eastern Region The major share of fish production in the region is contributed by Assam (72 percent) followed by Tripura (16 percent). Because fish production from natural resources is declining for various reasons, the onus of securing a fish supply for the population of the region is on the shoulders of the culture sector. As such, emphasis in recent years has and seasonally inundated low-lying areas. The maximum diversity of SIFFS occurs in the North Eastern Region of India, followed by Western Ghats and Central India. Based on the assessment of NBFGR, about 23 percent of SIFFS (104 species) are important as food fish (62 species) and ornamental fish (42 species). Small Indigenous Freshwater Fish Species are valuable sources of essential nutrients (Table 1). As these fishes are generally consumed whole, with the head, bones and viscera, they serve as an easily available source for vitamins, calcium, iron, other minerals and micronutrients (Majumdar et al. 2008). The role of SIFFS in nutritional and livelihood security is quite significant for a considerable section of the Indian population, especially for the population of the North Eastern Region, where these species are abundant in natural water bodies. The SIFFS are preferred by the ethnic populations of the region for their unique taste and food value and are consumed fresh, dried and fermented. Different products are prepared traditionally by the more than 220 ethnic groups through different techniques. Catching wild SIFFS with traditional traps and gears in natural habitats such as swamps or beels is a common scenario in rural areas of the North Eastern Region (Fig. 1-2). The North Eastern Region of India, comprised of eight states (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim), is a global hotspot of freshwater fish biodiversity (Kottlelat and Whitten 1996). The region is bestowed TABLE 1. Nutrient content (dry weight) per 100 g raw edible parts of common SIFFS (Source: Bogard et al. 2015). SIS Energy (kcal) Protein (g) Fat(g) Moisture (g) Ash (g) Mastacembelus armatus 381 17.9 1.7 78.6 1.0 Glossogobius giuris 292 16.6 0.4 80.3 3.1 Collisa fasciata 354 15.2 2.5 77.0 5.2 Pseudambasis ranga 400 15.5 3.8 76.2 4.7 Gudusia chapra 385 15.5 3.8 78.4 3.4 Chela cachius 349 15.2 2.4 79.4 2.9 Esomus danricus 384 15.5 3.2 77.1 4.2 Osteobrama cotio cotio 387 14.7 3.8 78.1 3.7 Notopterus notopterus 384 20.5 0.6 76.7 1.4 Mystus cavasius 479 16.8 5.1 76.8 1.0 Mastacembelus pancalus 394 17.9 2.6 77.7 2.2 Puntius sophore 541 15.7 7.2 73.2 3.5 Ailia coila 751 17.1 12.6 70.0 0.7 Xenentodon cancila 329 17.1 1.2 80.2 1.8 Anabas testudineus 737 15.5 12.8 70.5 1.0 Clarias batrachus 326 16.5 1.3 81.3 1.1 Nandus nandus 338 16.7 1.7 78.5 3.6 Ompok pabda 619 16.2 9.5 73.9 0.9 Amblypharyngodon mola 445 17.3 4.5 75.6 3.5 Botia dario 654 14.9 10.6 70.8 3.2 Heteropneustes fossilis 374 19.1 1.9 79.2 1.0 Channa punctatus 306 18.3 0.6 80.7 2.1 Macrognathus aculeatus 387 17.2 2.6 79.4 2.3 Mystus vittatus (Tengra) 428 15.1 4.6 76.6 3.7 Puntius ticto 385 15.4 3.4 77.5 3.8
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