Fisherfolk in Karimnagar are expressing concerns over a significant reduction in the quantity of fish seedlings allocated for local water bodies this year. Karimnagar MLA Gangula Kamalakar highlighted that the fish seedling distribution in the Karimnagar Assembly constituency was cut from last year’s 42 lakh tonnes to 21 lakh tonnes, affecting 69 local tanks. Additionally, fish seedling distribution across Karimnagar district’s various reservoirs was halved, dropping from the previous allocation of 2.20 crore tonnes to approximately half this quantity.
The free distribution of fish seedlings, along with efforts to fill tanks across the region, has previously benefited local fishing communities. In recent years, these initiatives have allowed many in the region to improve their livelihoods by supplying fish to local and nearby markets. According to Kamalakar, these practices had supported caste-based occupations associated with the fishing trade and allowed local fishermen to become significant suppliers, with some areas even achieving export potential.
However, with reduced seedling allocation this year, the region’s fishing communities are facing difficulties in maintaining their usual levels of productivity. The MLA’s recent distribution of fish seedlings at Asifnagar tank in Karimnagar’s rural mandal underscores the ongoing challenges for communities that depend on these reservoirs. Local fishermen hope for a return to previous seedling distribution levels to continue benefiting from the economic opportunities these efforts have previously generated.
Source: Telangana Today