ABOUT

OBJECTIVES

TECHNOLOGY

TRAINING

CONSULTANCY

About

Director: Dr. V.V. Sugunan

The Central Inland Capture Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI) is the oldest premier research institution in the field of inland fisheries research and training in India. Established initially as Central Inland Fisheries Research Station by the Govt. of India at Calcutta in 1947, it assumed the status of an Institute and shifted to Barrackpore (North 24-Parganas, West Bengal) in 1959. The Institute came under the administrative control of Indian Council of Agricultural Research in October 1967.

Top

Objectives

The main objective of the Institute till 1987 (Sixth Plan) had been to conduct investigation for proper appraisal of inland fisheries resources in the country, and to evolve suitable methods for their conservation and optimum utilization. During this period the successful implementation of four major projects on Composite fish culture; Riverine Fish Seed prospecting; Air breathing fish culture and Ecology and fisheries management of reservoirs proved to be the turning point in inland fisheries and freshwater aquaculture in India.

The major technologies developed by the Institute till 1987 are:

i) Fish seed prospecting from rivers
ii) Fish seed transportation
iii) Induced breeding and nursery management of carps
iv) Bundh breeding of Chinese carps
v) Composite fish culture
vi) Air breathing fish culture
vii) Aquatic weed control
viii) Fishery management of reservoirs
ix) Integrated Farming System
x) Brackishwater fish farming

Reorganisation & the Revised Mandate

At the begining of Seventh Plan (1987), three more Institutes were carved out from this institute viz., Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA) and National Research Centre on Cold Water Fisheries (NRCCWF). The original institute was rechristened as Central Inland Capture Fisheris Research Institute and the mandate modified, giving emphasis on capture fisheries resources of the country. It is presently mandated to

1. Study fish population dynamics of exploitable inland water bodies exceeding 10 ha in water area.
2. Evolve management systems for optimizing fish production from such water bodies.
3. Investigate causes, effects and remedies of their degradation/pollution and provide research support for utilization for conservation of such resources.
4. Study the impact of river valley projects on the fisheries of the basins concerned and evolve strategies for their management.
5. Act as national data centre on inland fisheries and
6. Conduct training and provide extension/consultancy services.

The research activities of the Institute are organised in seven Divisions (Riverine, Reservoir, Floodplain Wetlands, Estuarine, Environmental Monitoring & Fish Health Protection, Hilsa, Resource Assessment). In addition there are eight sections at the Institute Headquarters providing necessary support to the Research Divisions. They are for Economics, Extension, Engineering, Library, Project Monitoring & Documentation, Technical Cell, Administration and Audit.

Besides the Institute Headquarters at Barrackpore, there are presently eleven research centres (Guwahati, Allahabad, Karnal, Vadodara, Hoshangabad, Bangalore, Alapuzzha, Coimbatore, Eluru, Malda and Calcutta) and four survey centres (Lalgola, Canning, Diamond- Harbour, Uluberia).

Top

Technology

Technologies developed during Seventh & Eighth Plan

The Institute has been able to develop following technologies during this period. All these technologies have an accent on environmental conservation and sustainable development of the resources.

1. Fisheries management of small reservoirs.
2. Environmental impact assessment vis-a-vis fisheries.
3. Estimation of inland fisheries resources and production.
4. Artificial fecundation and hatchery of hilsa.
5. Pen culture in floodplain wetland.

Besides these technologies CIFRI has valuable data base for developing management norms for fishery in open water systems on the following aspects.

a) Ecology and fisheries of major river systems of India.

b) Impact of Farakka barrage on ecology and fishery of Hooghly Matlah estuary as well as on migration and fishery of Hilsa in Ganga River System.

c) Biological features of commercially important riverine and estuarine fish species.

d) Production functions and their interactions in floodplain wetlands.

e) Various fish diseases and their pathogens, methods for fish stress diagnosis.

Top

Training

The Institute is identified as one of the nodal agency to cater to the training needs on various aspects of inland fisheries in Asia, Latin America and Africa. It conducts ad-hoc training courses regularly on various aspects of inland fisheries for benefit of worker within the country and abroad.

CIFRI is an internationally recognised research facility in inland fisheries and has expertise on a wide range of specialized subjects related to fisheries.

Top

Consultancies

It has an impressive record of consultancy services rendered to various organisation in India and abroad.

The Institute undertakes consultancy assignments on :

i) Feasibility studies for fisheries development of lakes and reservoirs
ii) Environmental Impact Assessment for Resource Management
iii) Fisheries Resource surveys
iv) Techno-economic appraisals for fisheries projects.

Top