Fisheries and Aquaculture North East India Sustainable Development and Practices

The North-East region of India, endowed with unmatched ecological richness and cultural diversity, occupies a prominent place in the nation’s fisheries and aquaculture landscape. Stretching across eight states—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Sikkim— the region is home to an extraordinary mosaic of rivers, wetlands, lakes, hill streams, floodplains, and traditional water bodies. These environments nurture a wealth of aquatic biodiversity, support age-old food systems, and offer immense potential for sustainable fisheries development. This book, Fisheries and Aquaculture of North-East India: Sustainable Development and Practices, is an effort to integrate ecological understanding, technological advancements, and practical field insights to guide the region toward resilient and inclusive growth.

The idea for this volume emerged from the collective experiences of the authors—Dr. Sudhansu Shekhar Mahanand, Dr. Sneha Surendran, Syam K. R., Dr. Kh. Brajamani Meetei, Dr. M. A. Salam, and Shiva Rajak—after many years of engagement with farmers, researchers, students, extension functionaries, and local communities across the North-East. In our visits to remote villages, community ponds, beel fisheries, hill aquaculture sites, and government research facilities, we witnessed both the incredible potential of the region and the persistent challenges that hinder its progress. It became evident that a comprehensive and accessible resource was needed—one that combined scientific knowledge with community wisdom, and future-ready innovations with grounded realities.

The North-East represents one of India’s richest hotspots of fish biodiversity, hosting numerous indigenous, endemic, and ornamental species. Yet, despite this natural wealth, the fisheries sector often struggles with limited seed availability, inadequate feed resources, fragmented supply chains, infrastructure gaps, and climate vulnerabilities. Frequent floods, landslides, erratic rainfall, and changes in water temperature disrupt both natural ecosystems and aquaculture systems. At the same time, traditional practices such as paddy-cum-fish culture, community-managed fisheries, bamboo-based trapping systems, and live fish markets continue to reflect the deep-rooted connection between the people and their aquatic environments. Balancing tradition and modernity, conservation and development, is therefore essential for sustainable progress.

This book is designed to address these needs holistically. It brings together a wide spectrum of themes—including aquatic ecology, indigenous knowledge, aquaculture technologies, fish health, climate resilience, socio economics, and policy frameworks—to serve as a comprehensive guide for students, researchers, extension workers, entrepreneurs, and fish farmers. Each chapter is crafted to provide clarity on fundamental concepts while offering up to-date insights into current trends, best management practices, and innovations happening across the region and beyond.

We place particular emphasis on sustainability, not as an abstract concept but as a practical guiding principle. Sustainable aquaculture in the North-East must be ecologically responsible, economically viable, and socially inclusive. It must protect fragile hill and floodplain ecosystems while generating livelihoods for communities that rely on these resources. It must adopt technologies such as integrated farming, low-cost hatchery models, species diversification, and improved feed formulations, while ensuring that these innovations remain accessible to small and marginal farmers. Likewise, sustainable development requires attention to women’s participation, youth engagement, entrepreneurship, market linkages, and policy support systems that are tailored to the unique context of the region.

Throughout the writing of this book, the authors drew heavily from real life observations, case studies, and interactions with fish farmers, community groups, self-help organizations, cooperative societies, state fisheries departments, and research institutions. Their practical concerns—whether related to seed quality, pond management, disease outbreaks, training needs, or market volatility—have shaped our understanding and guided the structure of this volume. We extend our sincere appreciation to these individuals and groups for sharing their experiences, challenges, and aspirations.

We also acknowledge the significant contributions made by national and state-level organizations—ICAR institutes, KVKs, State Agricultural Universities, Central Agricultural University, and various Fisheries Development Agencies— that continue to introduce technologies, conduct training, and support development programs across the region. Their work forms the foundation upon which future advancements must build.

As the global demand for nutritious aquatic foods continues to rise and climate change presents new uncertainties, the North-East stands at a critical juncture. With its unique ecosystems, entrepreneurial youth, cultural strengths, and strategic location, the region has the potential to evolve into a major hub for sustainable aquaculture and inland fisheries. Realizing this potential requires informed planning, forward-looking research, community participation, and policy coordination—elements that this book aims to foster.

It is our hope that this volume will inspire readers to appreciate the extraordinary aquatic heritage of the North-East and to contribute actively to its sustainable development. Whether one is a student beginning their journey in fisheries science, a researcher exploring new frontiers, a policymaker crafting regional strategies, or a farmer seeking practical solutions, we believe that this book will serve as a valuable companion.