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Locally produced Doyang ‘catla’ species of fish being sold at a fish stall at Wokha town. The local fish market has been facing what is reported to be ‘scarcity’ of fish products after the Nagaland government imposed a ban on the import of fish into the state.[/caption]
Wokha, 7 July (EMN): Amidst the unavailability of fresh fish products in the state, especially after the ban on import of fish into the state, a question remains whether Nagaland state, with the availability of abundant fisheries and rivers can at least meet this need of fish proteins in the state. Towards this question, it is felt that the reservoir at Doyang Hydel Project could help generate revenue and serve the local fisherman as well as for healthy consumption for the people in the state.
The local fish industry, especially the local fish vendors, at this moment, are hard-hit because of the ban on the import of fish products in the state.
Wokha district is also equally affected. With more than thirty fish stalls catering to not only the citizens of Wokha town but also the travellers crossing the town, the blackout without any alternate business to run is affecting the fishmongers to sustain their daily livelihood.
During an informal interaction with the fishmongers, they strongly lamented the lack of an alternate way of availing fish in the market through the Doyang river, which otherwise has huge potentials to mitigate the shortage of fish in the market. Major fish species caught in Doyang dam are Catla with Rohu, mrigal, grass carp, sliver carp, common carp and mashers.
The strongly lamented that despite the availability of fish resource through the Doyang river reservoir, this could not be delivered to the to the common people where fish Kiosks
awaits government and department to sort out alternate arrangement to look into the problem for the consumers and business.
The fishmongers disclosed that it is cheaper and high income in sale of local Doyang fish comparing to imported fishes from other state,
In this regard, the fishmongers disclosed that there could be an alternate way of availing the Doyang fish in the market; however, they pointed out that there are many factors that hinders the supply and sale of local fish products easily decays and there ‘is no ice plant, storage and processing facilities in the locality’.
It is learnt from highly reliable sources that the state government had installed an ice-making plant at Doyang, but it remains non-functional for a varied reasons ‘which is a major factor that could not help the local fisherman and local suppliers to deliver local fishes in the market of Nagaland’.
Meanwhile the department in the district started a trial to assist the vendors as well as for the consumers, where fishes from Doyang where being brought to Wokha on 6th July, and sale was done. However, the response was that that encouraging; an official from the District Fisheries office hinted that it could be due to non advertisement or awareness and ‘it was not in a main locality to attract the customer’.
With the fish market industry in disarray after the ban on fish imports which is affecting the local economy and the diet of the citizens equally, it remains to be seen how far the government agencies will come to the rescue of the common Naga citizens.
