(a) During the study period, grass and silver carps were commercially raised in various lakes in Nepal. The results are summarized below:
COMMERCIAL HARVESTS OF CAGE FISH IN POKHARA VALLEY
| Lake | Species | Period cultured | No. stocked per m3 | Av. stocking size (g) | No. of months reared | Prod. kg/m3 |
| Phewa | Grass carp | May-Dec. | 16 | 43 | 7 | 3.6 |
| Phewa | Grass carp | May-May | 16 | 43 | 12 | 6.7 |
| (projected) | ||||||
| Begnas | Silver carp | Jan.-Jan. | 45 | 72 | 12 | 2.7 |
| Begnas | Silver carp | Jan.-Jan. | 9 | 30 | 12 | 5.6 |
| Rupa | Silver carp | June-Jan. | 5 | 55 | 7 | 6.9 |
(b) Proposed Stocking Rates and Estimated Harvest
Table 12 does not report results from actual trials. But it is felt that heavier densities than those tried in the past should be experimented with. A shortage of fingerlings in the previous year prevented such experimentation. The projected growth indicated in this table seems reasonable in the light of present knowledge.
SUGGESTED STOCKINGS AND PROJECTED HARVEST SIZE
| Lake | Species | Average stocking size (g) | Stocking rate (kg/m3) | No. of fish per m3 | Rearing period (months) | Average harvesting size (g) |
| Phewa | Grass carp | 20 | .8 | 40 | 8 | 250 |
| " " | 20 | .8 | 40 | 12 | 500 | |
| " " | 40–45 | .8 | 20 | 8 | 500 | |
| " " | 40–45 | .8 | 20 | 12 | 1 000 | |
| " " | 100 | .8 | 8 | 10 | 1 000 | |
| " " | 250 | .8 | 3 | 6 | 1 000 | |
| Begnas | Grass carp | as above; possibly more production. | ||||
| Silver carp | 20 | .6 | 30 | 12 | 500 | |
| " " | 40–50 | .6 | 12–15 | 12 | 500 | |
| " " | 75–100 | .6 | 6– 8 | 12 | 500 | |
| " " | 125–150 | .6 | 4– 5 | 8 | 500 | |
| " " | 200–250 | .6 | 2– 3 | 8 | 1 000 | |
| " " | 500 | 2.5 | 5 | 6 | 1 000 | |
| " " | 1 000 | 3.0 | 3 | 7 | 1.5 kg | |
| " " | 1 500 | 4.5 | 3 | 6 | 3.0 kg | |
| Rupa | Grass carp | should be similar to Begnas | ||||
| Silver carp | 20 | 30 | .6 | 2 | 500 | |
| " " | 50 | 30 | 1.5 | 1 | 500 | |
| " " | 100 | 15 | 1.5 | 3 | 1 000 | |
| " " | 500 | 15 | 7.5 | 2 | 1 000 | |
(c) Production Potential Through Cagefish Culture in Pokhara
It has been estimated that the annual production of fish from lakes in the Pokhara Valley can be increased by at least 100 t through cagefish culture, as shown in the following table.
| Lake | No. of cages | Lake surface per cage (ha) | Average volume per cage (m3) | Estimated Production (t) |
| Phewa | 100 | 4 | 32 | 30 |
| Begnas | 60 | 3.2 | 70 | 40 |
| Rupa | 50 | 2.34 | 35 | 18 |
| Khaste | 15 | .7 | 35 | 4 |
| Total: 225 | 100 | |||
These figures are based on an annual production of 10 kg/m3. In light of more recent data, production from Rupa appears potentially higher than this, Phewa could be somewhat lower, and Begnas in between. It is also felt that more cages than the above total can be introduced.
(d) Cagefish culture was encouraged among private fishermen for the first time in Nepal by the project from May 1978. The Agriculture Development Bank of Nepal assists prospective cagefish farmers with loans to purchase cages and fish fingerling. Table 13 presents data obtained up to the end of 1978.
