International symposium of SAFARI-2

15^th January 2018, Kochi

Dr.Trilochan Mohapatra , Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) inaugurated the second International symposium of the Societal Applications in Fisheries and Aquaculture using Remote Sensing Imagery (SAFARI-2) at the ICAR- Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute,Kochitoday.

In his inaugural address,Dr.Mohapatra said remote sensing techniques could effectively be used to develop proper technologies to maintain accuracy in a slew of activities such as weather warning, real-time advisories on nature of the sea, forecasting various ocean phenomena, etc.

“Scientists should be ready to improve the algorithms and models being used for the forecasting purposes in frequent intervals. Besides developing proper technologies, they should get updated constantly”, Dr Mohapatra added.

Referring to the significance of the remote sensing techniques in the fisheries, the ICAR Chief said ecological sustainability could be achieved by tapping the fortunes of the satellite remote sensing technology.

“We are in a process of increasing the fish production sustainably, both in capture and culture, to usher in the Blue Revolution utilising our vast resources. Responsible fishing should be encouraged. For this, the satellite remote sensing techniques will be of great advantage to understand the ecosystem in deeper level which will help in implementing proper guidelines for ensuring sustainability in fisheries”, he said adding that the resources should be exploited only judiciously and sustainably. 

The SAFARI is a global research project of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and is now embedded in GEO’s “Ocean and Society: Blue Planet” initiative.

The three-day symposium titled ‘Remote Sensing for Ecosystem Analysis and Fisheries’ is part of CMFRI’s move to tap the fortunes of India’s satellite technology in favour of the marine fisheries sector.

Dr J K Jena, Deputy Director General (Fisheries) of the ICAR presided over the opening ceremony of the symposium. Dr B Meenakumari, Chairperson of the National Biodiversity Authority; Lasse H Pettersson from the Nansen Environmental Remote Sensing Centre, Norway; Dr Rodney M Forster from the University of Hull, United Kingdom;  and Prof. N R Menon, Chairman of the Nansen Environmental Research Centre-India, Dr A Gopalakrishnan, Director of ICAR-CMFRI and T V Sathianandan, Head, Fishery Resources Assessment Division, CMFRI spoke on the inaugural function.