Revitalizing Fisheries and Aquaculture in Tamil Nadu for Doubling Farmers’ income by March 2022

ICAR-Central Institute Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennaiand Federation of India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) along with Tamil Nadu Fisheries University, Nagapattinam and Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAI), Chennai organized a “Workshop on Revitalizing Fisheries and Aquaculture in Tamil Nadu – Doubling income by March 2022” on 30th May 2017 at ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennai.

Dr K.K.Vijayan, Director, ICAR-CIBA Chennai, in his inaugural address, stated that Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector is a ‘Sleeping Giant’ in Indian Economy and its true strength is yet to be fully conceived by the planners and policy makers. This sector provides Food, Employment and Prosperity to the people. The vast area of water resources available in Tamil Nadu provides huge scope for expansion of aquaculture for the production of finfish and shellfish.   

Mr. P. Murari, IAS (Retd) Adviser to FICCI  and Former Adviser to President of India emphasized the importance of deep sea fishing and stated that fishermen need to be trained for long term fishing in the sea and suitable technologies and facilities need to be provided for them. He particularly emphasized the potential for the expansion of brackishwater aquaculture in Tamil Nadu on environmentally safe and sustainable mode.
The workshop had three (i) Parallel Technical Sessions on Marine and Industrial Fishing and Mariculture, (ii) Brackishwater and Inland Aquaculture and Inland Capture Fisheries and (iii) Development of Domestic Markets, Value Addition and Reduction of Post-Harvest Losses.

The major recommendations emerged out of the discussions are as follows:

• Site specific Mariculture activities in finfishes/shell fishes need to be carried out in various parts of Tamil Nadu.
•  Capacity building and skill development programmes in deep sea fishing operations for marine fisher folk should be developed in the context of declining fisheries.
• Formulating strategic measures for promotion of fisheries production through scientific zonation and release of government owned brackishwater lands for aquaculture, modern fish marketing and processing on Public Private Partnership Mode.
• Sustainable efforts on convergence by ICAR-CIBA, FICCI, TNFU, CAA and Department of Fisheries for formulation and implementation of  policies for accelerating the fisheries development ensuring double the income to the fish farmers and fishers.

Other dignitaries who have actively participated in the workshop include Mr.Ruban Hobday, Chief FICCI-TN, Dr R. Sudarshan, Assistant Senior Director, FICCI, Chennai, Dr M Sakthivel, Formerly Director MPEDA and Dr. Cheryl Antony, Dean, Fisheries College and Research Institute (FC &RI), Ponneri.

The fish-farmers, fishers and members from the Indian Fishermen Association, staff from the Coast Guard and scientists and officials from ICAR-CIBA, Chennai and FC & RI, Ponneri attended the workshop.