Odisha sets up modern fish kiosk

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday inaugurated a much-awaited modern kiosk for selling fresh fish and crabs from the world famous Chilika Lake, a senior official said.

The air-conditioned kiosk named "Chilika Fresh" opened in the Sirpur area here, fisheries and animal resources department commissioner-cum-secretary Bishnupada Sethi told IANS.

The modern hygienic pre-fabricated fish retail selling kiosk has been set up with funding support from the state Government and National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB). It will cater to the fish-eating population of Bhubaneswar city, Sethi said.

Varieties of freshwater, brackish water and marine fish along with crabs and lobsters will be sold. Subsequently fishery products like dry fish, canned fish, fish pickle will also be sold, he said.

With the success of Chilika Fresh Kiosk, more such kiosks will be set up in various potential places of the capital city. After evaluating their success, similar kiosks will be started in other cities like Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela and Sambalpur, he said.

Odisha is one of the important maritime states of India with 10.94 lakh hectares of inland water area and 480 km of coastline, producing 4.13 lakh tonnes of fish and exporting fish worth Rs.1,800 crore.

The fish supplies from Chilika lake will be made available by nearly 300 fishermen societies registered with the fisheries department, Sethi said.

The Chilika lake, spread across the districts of Puri, Khurdha and Ganjam along the east coast, is the largest brackish water lake in Asia covering an area of over 1,100 sq km.

Located about 100 km from here, the lake's fishery supports the livelihood of more than two lakh fisherfolk living in and around the lake.