Padanna (Kasaragod): A group of expats have found a new livelihood amid the pandemic crisis. The NRI community in Thekkakkadu here started a new method of fish farming in Kavvayi backwaters when they nearly lost hope due to COVID.
The NRI friends set up fishing nets on the west side of the backwaters to grow fish. The net is 40 metres long and 12 metres wide and has an area of 5,000 square feet. Three nets were set up using bamboo fencing in the backwaters 10 metres away from the shore. Also a small bridge to the land was built using areca nut trees.
About 1 lakh fish can be cultivated under the new method of farming. 50,000 pearl spots are grown and the rest is sea bass. The juvenile fish were put in the net the other day. They have also installed CCTV to prevent fish being stolen. They tried the new method as there is scarcity of marine fish.
Panchayat coordinator for fish farming, K. Ravi introduced the new method to the NRI group. Normally, financial assistance is provided for cage fish farming in backwaters. However, assistance will be provided for new methods of farming in the coming years, said deputy director P. V. Satheesan.
V. K. Muhammed Shefeeq, M. Sirajudheen, V. K. Shaijal, P. K. Sidheeq, V. K. Muhammed Kunji, P. P. Kareem, B. Fayas, Suhara Abdul Raheem, Fathibi and S. C. Ramseena are the group members who initiated the fish farming using new technology. The fisheries department has offered all help for the team.
