Bheri farming: shore based aquacultureIntroduction: Shore based aquaculture or coastal brackish water aquaculture is practiced in many countries. There are various methods of traditional culture system based on the local conditions. Shrimp culture is the main attraction of this culture system. Some other fishes and other organisms like crabs, bivalves and seaweeds are also farmed. This type of culture system is mainly found in south East Asia.

BHERI In this system of culture, tidal water is impounded in the inter-tidal

mudflats by raising bounds. Tidal water with all assorted fish, crustaceans and other organisms’ seed is allowed to through sluice-gates during spring tides.

Harvesting of marketable sized fishes and other organisms is done regularly during spring tides through traps placed near the sluice-gate.

There is no need of manuring and feeding. The average production of this type of system is about 500-750 kg/ha.

“Bheri” may be defined as an embanked water body with a depth of 2-5 feet and area of about 200-250 acres.

They are generally a storing tank where the fishes are grown without supplying any supplementary food.

In India, these are best developed in the state of West Bengal, which may classify into brackish water and fresh water categories.

Bheri Culture:-1

For Bheri culture, rice fields of 0.1 ha area may be economical. Normally four rice plots of 250m² (25 x 10 m) each may be formed in such an area. In each plot, a ditch of 0.75 m width and 0.5 m depth is dug. The dikes enclosing the rice plots may be 0.3 m high and 0.3 m wide and are strengthened by embedding straw. The ditches have connections with the main supply or drain canal, on either side of which, the rice plots are located, through inlet-outlet structures of the dikes. The depth and width of the supply or drain canal may be slightly smaller than that of the ditches. Suitable bamboo pipes and screens are placed in the inlet and outlet structures to avoid the entry of predatory fish and the escape of fish under culture. The ditches serve not only as a refuge when the fish are not foraging among rice plants, but also serve as capture channels in which the fish collect when water level goes down.

The fish species which are cultured in the bheries. The fish species which could be cultured in rice fields must be capable of tolerating shallow water (15 cm), high temperatures (up to 35ºC), low dissolved oxygen and high turbidity.

Species such as Catla catla, Labeo rohita, Cirrhina mrigala, Cyprinus carpio, Chanos chanos, Oreochromis mossambicus, Anabas testudineus, Mugil spp., Clarias batrachus, etc.

2

Catla catla Cirrhinus mrigala

NONA BHERI:• Saline water bheries are broadly known as ‘Nona bheries’.

• These are sizes from 50 – 2000 bighas.

THREE CATEGORIS OF NONA BHERI:- Nona Bheri Fish Farm.

(Purely for fish culture)

3

testudineus Oreocromis mossambica

Labeo rohita

Nona Bheri paddy-cum fish culture. (Fish is primarily produced)

Nona Bheri Fish-Cum Paddy culture. (Paddy is primarily Produced)

BRACKISH WATER BHERi: Low saline water bheries are known as brackish water bheries.

A traditional brackish-water fish and prawn culture used in paddy fields in India.

Fry enter the fields at high tide and are prevented from leaving by fine mesh nets at the sluices.

Mullets (Mugilidae) and cichlids (Cichlidae) are harvested in December after growth from October when the rice was harvested and the fields turned over to fish culture.

Types of Brackish-water Bheri:- Perennial Brackish-water Bheri

Fish cum Paddy culture Bheri

Paddy cum Fish culture Bheri.

Perennial Brackish-water Bheri:-

4

Suitable areas, near tidal rivers or channels of their beds, were protected from being flushed out by monsoon or tidal floods by putting embankments around them keeping water level of 5 ft.

From March or April onwards during suitable floods tides salt water was entered into the embankment from the adjoining areas through sluice gate, with the help of small and narrow canals.

The bamboo gratings are kept in front of sluice gate to prevent the fishes in the ponds from escaping when the gates are opened.

Larvae and Fry of fishes as L.calcarifer, M.parsia and other brackish-water species entered into the protected areas.

The young one thus entrapped were usually allowed to remain in these closed areas for 8-10 months till they attained marketable size.

Large scale fishing operations are carried out between September and November.

Water is let-out, the fishes move into the canals and deeper areas of the ponds where this are caught by means of Drag Nets.

Cast nets are operated in this type of fishing purpose.

The catches are sometimes kept in the live wells or cages known as “Hapar”.

HYDROBIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PERENNIAL BRACKISH WATER BHERI

POND TOPOGRAPHY:- 6feet-9feet. Average depth during rainy season.

METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATION:-June-September, normal rainfall 24.43 - 36.5 cm

WATER CHARACTERISTICS:-Temperature ranged between 14.4°c-35.0°c.

5

HYDROGEN-ION CONCENTRATION: - pH in between 7.9-8.3.

CHLORINITY: - 6.05-11.10% except during July-September. The average rainfall during this season 1.80-2.20%.

PADDY-CUM FISH CULTURE After initial drying of the Bheri,

water from the estuary is drawn sometime between November and December through sluice gates and allowed to stabilize for 10-15 days to help in growing algal matter.

Depth should be in between 0.3-1 meter.

During tidal phase certain volume of water released earlier is drawn back into the Bheri from estuary.

During slack period water is lifted into the Bheri through a pump.

Paddy seedlings are lifted during August and September when water salinity is considerably low.

Major carp like catla of 70-100 gm size, prawn, and shrimp are stocked in Bheri.

Paddy harvesting is completed by November-December prior to this the Bheri water is drained out to trap fishes, as by fish would grow 1.5-2 kg in size.

FISH-CUM PADDY CULTURE

6

In this type of culture land are well protected by embankment on both the sides of the river, channels, and creeks from free in coming of highly saline water.

All the lands are properly dyed keeping the irrigation embankment. The depressed area on one side of this Bheri is again dyed.

The smaller Bheri is connected to the inlet and outlet sluice gates constructed on the irrigation embankment.

By January, when salinity goes down to the minimum, sufficient water drawn into the smaller Bheri through the inlet sluice gates during spring tide.

With the onset of monsoon the salinity will decrease and after a thorough plugging paddy seeds are planted during July.

The smaller bandhs of different plots of lands together with the main embankment of the smaller Bheri are leveled and the small fishes are allowed to move freely in the paddy field.

Prior to paddy harvesting the Bheri water is let out and fishes are trapped and removed.

By adopting this process 56.07 kg/ha paddy obtained and 56.07 kg/ha fish will obtain.

Advantages of Bheri culture:-• Production of paddy as additional crop.

7

• Insects & pests that attack the paddy can be controlled by stocked fish as fish take this organism as feed.

• Fecal material discharge from fish body serve as fertilizer in the rice field as a result fertility of the field increases.

• More profitable.

• Easy technology & low cost involvement.

PROBLEMS AND LIMITATIONS:- Poor water quality can impede growth and cause death.

Pesticide & other toxic chemicals can kill fish & should be kept away from them.

Good water management is essential, but not always possible.

Summary• Generally bheries are the storing tank where the fishes are

grown without supplying of any supplementary food. They are protected by embankments through erecting artificial walls or barriers where diluted sewage water is allowed to enter through the sluice gate which provides nutrition for the developing fishes.

• Generally, there are two types of bheries such as saline water bheries and brackish water bheries.

Conclusion Fisheries are a sunrise sector with varied resources and

potentials. About all the inland resources for fish culture are exploited.

8

So the only way to increase the fish production and to met the increasing demand of portentous food in the world is the shore based aquaculture and coastal aquaculture.

In shore based aquaculture system Bheri aquaculture is an important one.

Many brackish water species like Bhetki, Parse, some Shrimp, Prawn, and Crab are cultured in Bheri.

Economically it is also important because enough nutrients are provided by the Bheri, so artificial feed are not required.

References:1. Handbook of fisheries and aquaculture – ICAR- S.Ayyapan

2. www.google.com

3. www.wikipedia.com

9

THANK YOU..........