Contribution of Stocked and Wild Fish in Ricefields to Fish Production and Farmer Nutrition in Northeast Thailand

Abstract

Fingerlings of common carp (Cyprinus carpio), Thai silver carp or tawes (Puntius gonionotus), Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala) were stocked in rainfed lowland riceflelds in Northeast Thailand in 1986 and 1987. In both years, farmers harvested on average 50 kg•ha·1 of stocked fish species. Farmed fish yields were corelated with stocking densities. Feeding practices did not contribute to fish yields. Average recovery rates in both years were about 16%, but recovery of tawes was much better than of the other species. Nursery-paddies to increase recovery rates were not successful. The fingerling costs exceeded the market value of the fanned fish with 40% of the farmers. The average wild fish yield over both years was 209 kg 0ha·1, mostly snakehead (Channa striata) and catfish (Clarias batrachus and C. macrocephalus), with some climbing perch (Anabas testudineus ). Wild fish yields in both years were corelated with water depths in the field. The market value of the wild fish equalled the market value of the rice crop. Wild fish caught by household members from ricefields were the most important source of animal produce consumed during the rice-growing season (68%).