‘Aquaclinic’, the state’s first fisheries clinic will start functioning at the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), said Fisheries Minister K Babu. The clinic will be set up with the funding of the National Fisheries Development Board.
The university will have a training centre and hostels for the aquaculture farmers which will be funded by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
The ICAR will provide a grant of Rs 5 crore for setting up an agricultural technology information centre at the university, said Babu.
The minister added that five new post-graduation courses would be started at the university.M.Sc course in physical oceanography and ocean modelling and M.Sc course in biological oceanography and bio-diversity will be started at the Puthuvypeen Fisheries Station Campus. MBA courses in fisheries management, M.F.Sc in fishery economics and M.F.Sc in feed technology will be started at the Panangad Campus.
A Model Fish Conservation and Training Centre will be started at the Fisheries University using funds to the tune of Rs 400 crore. The Referrel Museum in the university campus will be raised to the level of a National Fish Museum, the minister added.
The Ornamental Fish Research, Development and Training Centre’s work has been acknowledged by the ICAR, and will receive a financial support of Rs 2 crore.
A Centre for Consultancy and Data base will be started to study the fresh-water fish reserve in the state, said Babu.