Pan-Asia Webinar on “Small Scale Fisheries in Inland open water: Status and opportunity”

9 - 10 September, 2020

The ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata virtually organized the Pan-Asia Webinar on “Small Scale Fisheries in Inland open water: Status and opportunity” from 9th to 10th September, 2020.

In his inaugural address, Dr. J.K. Jena, Deputy Director General (Fisheries Science), ICAR emphasized on the importance and role of small scale fishers of the country. Dr. Jena stressed that almost 100% of the inland fisheries is small scale fisheries with large diversity in traditional techniques. He also accentuated on the need for synergies of the various programmes, pilot projects and effective management of resources for the development of the small scale fisheries sector.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Dr. B.K. Das, Director, ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore, Kolkata emphasized on the vulnerability of the SSF to the natural and anthropological changes in inland fisheries causing loss of employment and livelihood to poor fishers / fish-workers in the country. He also stressed on the need for enhancing and database development on small scale fisheries in the wetlands, reservoirs and different river stretches.

Dr. Dilip Kumar, Former Director, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai, Maharashtra highlighted about the contribution of the SSF in almost 75% of fisheries in Bangladesh and 70% to 80% in the inland sector of the country.

Dr. C.V. Mohan, World Fish Centre, Penang, Malaysia outlined the working of the World Fish Centre with many countries in the region for the enhancement and betterment of small scale fisheries management.

The Webinar was jointly organized by the ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore; IFSI, Barrackpore and PFGF India.

The Webinar was aimed at making a review of the present situation and formulate the future strategies to enhance the small scale fisheries management with the objective to fulfill five major Sustainable Development Goals through the national and sub-regional cooperation.

More than 1,700 participants including the experts, academicians and Institutions from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Malaysia, Canada and Belgium virtually participated in the Webinar.

(Source: ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata)