Paper short abstract:

Standard ecofriendly technology, the cage culture, for pisciculture in abandoned OCP-lakes provides an incredible protein source and environmental security

Paper long abstract:

Abandoned Opencast Coal Pits (OCP) lakes, located at Bankola Colliery in Eastern Coalfields Limited are studied for pisciculture by adopting indigenous ecofriendly technology, the cage culture. Study of Limnological parameters, concentration of heavy metals and the subsequent impacts on the quality of this water body, fish health and production are also recorded. The results of different limnological parameters reveal some resemblance with the pisculture standards (ICAR, 2007). Average heavy metals' concentration namely for lead 0.08 (± 0.02) mg/l, cadmium 0.01 (± 0.01) mg/l, and arsenic and chromium are below the detectable limit. Rearing and stoking of fishes are made in cage (7.3 m long, 3.7 m wide and 1.8 m deep) afloat at a height of 0.3 to 0.5 m over the surface of the water. Fishes of three different ecological niches viz., Catla catla, Labeo rohita, and a catfish Pangasius pangasius are cultured in three units of cage for a typical period of 90 days. C. catla gained its body weight over 5.5 times, L. rohita 5 times, and Pangasius 3.5 times as compared with the Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), Bhubaneswar, Orissa. This practice of pisciculture will be able to open up a new vista towards protein sources and environmental security for food production to the core group of people of this area.