The report stated that total fish production in the state increased from 9.37 lakh tonnes in 1996-97 to 9.5 lakh tonnes in 1997-98. In 1998-99, the anticipated production in the state would be 9.95 lakh tonnes.

"This is a remarkable achievement, since fish production was around four lakh tonnes only in 1984-85 and in just over a decade or so, that is by 1997-98, fish production has more than doubled to 9.5 lakh tonnes," the report stated.

The fish seeds production has also increased in the last three years.

In 1996-97, it was 8,435 million tonnes and in the very next year, it went up to 8,500 million tonnes and for 1998-99 it has been anticipated at 8,610 million tonnes. West Bengal is also thelargest fish seeds producer in the country and it supplies about 80 per cent of nation's carp demand.

The Economic Review also discussed the state government's strategy for the fishery sector. "The strategy involves bringing under scientific pisciculture new water bodies through extension services, improving the productivity of existing fisheries by training fisherfolk on scientific fish farming, encouraging the use of modern technological inputs by provision of subsidies and arranging flow of institutional credit to poor fishermen's co-operatives," the report stated.

The report also noted that the state government has consistently investment funds for improvement of the infrastructure, relevant for the fisheries sector and has also implemented a welfare scheme for poor fisherfolk.

The share of inland fisheries in this total fish production in 1997-98 was 7.86 lakh tonnes against 7.65 lakh tonnes in 1996-97. Marine fish production registered a slight decline in 1997-98 to 1.64 lakh tonnes against thebumper production of 1.72 lakh tonnes in 1996-97.

Production of fish from sewage-fed fisheries increased from 20,007 tonnes in 1996-97 to 20,210 tonnes in 1997-98.

Production of fish from brackish water bodies increased from 57,000 tonnes in 1996-97 to 66,450 tonnes in 1997-98.

Prices of fish in the state are reasonably stable in comparison to the othercommodities. However, there is still a deficit in fish supply, which mostly covered by supplies from Andhra Pradesh. The state government expected that the by end of the Ninth Plan it will be successful in wiping out this deficit.

"Prices of fish have been fairly stable in West Bengal over a number of years. Given the place of fish in Bengalis diet, the stability of fish prices is quite significant and is primarily because of the rising trends in fish production in the state.

It is expected that by the end of the Ninth Plan, the slight deficit in fish supply in the state will be wiped out and the state will become completely self sufficient," thegovernment's review report stated.