Economy

Fishery

Aqua Culture

Prawn culture has assumed great significance  since 1982-83 when brackish water prawn culture started. It is being expanded as Odisha (Orissa) has a long coast line  covering old Cuttack, Puri, Baleshwar and Ganjam districts.

In the coastal region of the state,1,263 mechanised boats and 3,500 country  craft  are operating from fishing centres  like Chandipur, Chudamani, Salugaon, Kalupadgha, Pathara and Najari, where fishing jetties have been constructed. At Gopalpur, Dhamara and Astarang all -weather fishing ports have been built. While at Paradeep a large deep sea fishing  port has come up. When Paradeep is fully operational  it will have a fleet of 50 deep sea fishing vessels and 500 mechanised boats.

 Recently, Odisha (Orissa) shrimp seed production centre (OSSPC) which is the only one of its kind in the country has been started. This centre is cultivating 'Bagda' type prawn which fetches a very high price in foreign markets.

Freshwater Fishing

Freshwater resources have been estimated to be 80,000 ponds of various sizes, 4,000 Km of river channels and canals and 0.25 million hectares of reservoirs which are suitable for fresh water fish cultivation, for which there is a ready local market. The catch finds a ready market either in Calcutta or in Odisha (Orissa). The Kaibartas of Ganjam, the Nolias of Puri, the Gokhas of Cuttack and the Keatas of Balasore are the principal social groups who depend primarily on fishing. The Hirakud, Balimela, Salandi and the Bhimakurd reservoirs are the potential places for fish culture.