MARGAO
All roads led to Curtorim as fish lovers headed to the village to lay their hands on the fresh water lake fish on Sunday.
While farmers harvested fresh water fish from the Maitolle lake near the Carmel Chapel, Curtorim, the farmers at Handi Khuris harvested fish for the second time in a fortnight. Take note, both at Maitolle lake and at Handi Khuris, farmers store the water during the monsoon for irrigation and later utilise the water resources for fish breeding, bringing to the fore the rich bio-diversity Curtorim village is famous for in the State.
Smiles lit the faces of the farmers at the Maitolle lake, near Carmel Chapel as they reported a good fish harvest this year. Unlike the past, the farmers have now stopped auctioning of fish and are carrying out the harvest by themselves.
Farmer Joaquim Pacheco told The Goan that fishing rights were auctioned in the past, with the rights going for the highest bidder. “We have discontinued this practice since the last two years and the farmers cultivating the fields are now harvesting the fish,” he said.
He added: “We store water in the lake in June-July and use the water for irrigation. Simultaneously, we put a variety of fish seeds, including Chanak, besides government fish seeds. Around 40 farmers have been cultivating the fields and the fish will be distributed amongst the farmers,” he added.
At the nearby Handi Khuris in Maina, the farmers harvested the fish for the second time in a fortnight, netting the prized Tigur and other variety of fish.