College of Fisheries, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana holds on campus and off campus monthly meeting of Innovative Fish Farmer Association (IFFA), Punjab. Dr. Meera D. Ansal, Sr. Scientist (Fisheries) told that In this series, meeting for the month of August was held at College of Fisheries, GADVASU. Twenty one farmers from different districts attended the meeting and five new members joined the association. Farmers discussed problems related to marketing and unanimously decided to acquire a common selling outlet in the newly established fish market in Ludhiana for direct marketing of their produce for higher profitability. Farmers also shared their experiences related to various aquaculture products available in the market under different brand names. 
The farmers were apprised of importance of natural fish food (plankton), water quality, supplementary feeding and health management for higher fish productivity by Dr. Meera and Dr. Prabjeet Singh, Assistant Professor (Fisheries). Farmer’s queries regarding fish diseases, with special reference to argulosis, and control of molluscs in fish ponds were also addressed in the meeting. Issues related to introduction of new species, for diversification of crap culture in Punjab, were also discussed and the farmers communicated desirous interest of taking up culture of new species like Amur carp and Jayanti rohu in the State. Being actively instrumental in this direction, GADVASU has already achieved success in commercial rearing of pangas catfish, with 3 times higher productivity than carps in a rearing period of only 6 months, which holds voluminous scope in aquaculture productivity enhancement (vertical expansion) and is also an excellent candidate species for processing for value addition. The experts conveyed that, Amur carp introduction at GADVASU is also in the pipeline and will be tested very soon.
The farmers also exhibited keen interest to take up fish processing for developing deboned value added fish products, with special reference to carp fish which otherwise fetches low market price due to presence of intramuscular spines. The president of the association, Mr. Ranjodh Singh from Village Nanoki, District Patiala, informed that the members of the association will demonstrate and sell various value added fish products prepared by them in the upcoming Pashu Palan Mela of GADVASU, to be held in the month of September. Next meeting of the association will be held in the month of October in Samrala at the fish farm of one of the progressive fish farmer, Mr Shukwinder Singh.
