Plans are afoot to increase the production of inland fish in the State to three lakh tonnes a year. Presently, of the total 5.97 lakh tonnes of fish production in Tamil Nadu, inland fish production is only 1.72 lakh tonnes and marine fisheries is 4.25 lakh tonnes. To make available more fish seeds and advanced fingerlings from 7 cm to 10 cm stage, the capacity of fish hatcheries and fish-rearing centres across the State is being enhanced and additional infrastructure created. Catla, Rohu, Mrigal varieties of Indian major carp (kendai meen) and common carp are bred and reared at these centres. According to sources in the Fisheries Department, Rs.50 crore has been earmarked to improve facilities at the fish seed farms. Detailed estimates for individual projects are being presently drawn up. Additional hatching and rearing ponds would be constructed at Bhavanisagar in Erode at a cost of Rs.16 crore and the one at Manimuthar in Tirunelveli at Rs.13 crore. The construction will take around 12 to 18 months to complete. The upgradation work is being undertaken with the Rural Infrastructure Development fund of NABARD. The Fisheries Department has four major fish seed production centres at Bhavanisagar, Mettur, Manimuthar and Karandhai in Tanjore and the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development Corporation has one at Sathanur. These production centres also have rearing centres. There are 27 rearing centres where three-day-old spawns or hatchlings are reared. Rearing centres at Vaigai in Theni district, Manjalaar in Dindigul, Thirukampuliyur in Karur, Agarapettai, Karandhai, Neithalur in Tanjore, Thattamanipetti in Pudukottai and Assur in Tiruchy will also be upgraded. The sources said this boost would also be complemented with the farm pond concept of the agriculture department in order to enable farmers to rear fish and get additional income. Apart from taking hatchlings and fish seeds for rearing, fish farmers in areas including Madurai, Theni and Tirunelveli also take spawn from the farms and sell according to local demand.