Two fish farmers from Meghalaya have recently received recognition for their work at national forums, to the delight of the state government.
Jokin Kurkalang (50) from Mawkriah in East Khasi Hills and Khlainbor Pale (57) from Umkei in Ri-Bhoi, were honoured with certificates, mementos and cash awards for their “outstanding contributions” to fish farming in Meghalaya during National Fish Farmers Day 2024 on July 10 in Uttarakhand and Tripura respectively.
Kurkalang was conferred with the ‘Progressive Fish Farmer Award’ along with five others from the Himalayan states at the Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research, Bhimtal, Uttarakhand.
Supported by the Blue Revolution scheme, he has been practising scientific fish farming in his 1 hectare pond for the past five years with an annual fish production of 3 tonnes and has integrated his fish farm with an aqua park and recreational activities like boating, which has seen his income increase.
Pale was conferred with ‘Best Fish Farmer’ along with other fish farmers of the North East states at a programme organised by the College of Fisheries in Tripura, in association with the North East Society for Fisheries and Aquaculture (NESFA).
A dedicated fish farmer, Pale exhibited remarkable achievements in the field of aquaculture since 2019, supported by the Blue Revolution scheme and supplemented with personal investment. Through his adoption of semi-intensive, meticulous pond management and consistent feeding practices, he was able to achieve fish production of 2.6 tonnes in 2022, 2.8 tonnes in 2023 and 2.4 tonnes in 2024, overcoming the challenges posed by Meghalaya’s unique climatic conditions, a press release from the Director of Fisheries informed today.
(PHOTO: Khlainbor Pale (second left) receiving his award)
