BENGALURU: Four-day Mathsya Mela began in Bengaluru on Friday. It was last held in the city six years ago. Karnataka is the third highest producer of fish and the Mela focuses on popularising ornamental fishes.Renuka Murthy, assistant director, Fisheries department said, “There are more than 100 varieties of fish exhibited here.
Arowana fish are the costliest and they cost `1 lakh. Oscars, parrotfish, barb fish, guppies, local mollies are other varieties on display. We are expecting four lakh visitors over four days. There are also 60 stalls where the state departments, central institutes, cooperative societies and private aquarium shops are exhibiting.”
Fishing requisites were available for sale like nets, aquariums, tanks, aquarium toys and coracles. Aquariums attracted children in large numbers. There were also students from a government school in SR Nagar who had come to visit the Mela.
There are around 20 stalls serving sea food — both varieties of marine fish and fresh water fish.
“There are at least 15 varieties of shrimp. Pompfret, Anjal and Shrimp Chilly are a hit with customers. There is a fish recipe competition on Sunday evening for culinary enthusiasts. Anybody can walk in before 11 am and register for it. But they will have to get the ingredients, we will provide the fish.”
However fish professionals who had visited the Mela were disappointed. Philemon K Isaac, a fish professional and an alumnus of University of Agricultural Sciences has been into fish exports for 40 years and more.
“There are no placards, no information on any of these fish. The least the organisers can do is to identify these fish and educate the visitors on the habitat in which it thrives.”His friend, also an alumnus of UAS and a fish exporter, Janardhana Anantha found the Mela drab. “There is nothing about aquaculture, feed manufacturing, management of the fish, disease management and harvesting technology. What do you do with your fish? No proper information on anything. We are years behind other countries in fish exhibitions.”
Organisers are expecting four lakh visitors over four days. Parking is available inside Kanteerava stadium and at St John’s.There are also technologies like Aquaponics and Cage Culture on exhibition.
Dr NR Ramakrishna, retired joint director, fisheries department, said, “One doesn’t require land or ponds to rear fish. In Cage culture, you’re saving the cost of land and water. The returns are high. In fisheries there is a problem of oxygenation. There is limited area where you can grow. There are 82 reservoirs in Karnataka where this can be done. It is being practised in south East Asian countries and can be a part of the Aquatic Resources Lease Disposal Policy. It is already a hit in Linganamakki, KRS dam and Kerathunnooru.”Aquaponics involves growing vegetables and fish together and using the same water for both.