THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The inland fishing sector is set to receive a fillip in the state as the Fisheries Department is planning to launch an umbrella project named ‘Development of Inland Fisheries’ with an outlay of Rs 69.90 crore. The project to be launched on a state-wide basis will be implemented by Fish Farmers Development Agency and Agency for Aquaculture Development in Kerala. According to the Fisheries Department, other than that of conserving and managing the inland natural fish resources, the project also aims at generation of 14.4 lakh man-days of labour and generating a revenue of R270 crore from the sector.
“The project mainly involves seven components - conservation and management of inland fisheries, additional infrastructure facilities for fish seed farms, development and operation of existing farms and hatcheries, development of aquaculture and support services for aquaculture. The project is expected to be completed within one year,” said an officer with the Fisheries Department. It is learned as part of the project, there will be programmes like one paddy, one fish; fish farming in reservoirs, tiger shrimp farming, Indian white shrimp farming, Vannamei shrimp farming, integrated fish farming and others.
“Through this project, we are planning to appoint 400 aquaculture promoters. They will be appointed on a contract basis and will be provided with a salary of Rs 5,000. These promoters will be asked to initiate programmes that could enhance the production to 25,000 tonnes and to double the aquaculture productivity of the state,” said the officer. At the same time, the department also has plans to attain self-sufficiency in seed production by creating additional infrastructure facilities and by producing good quality seeds for better yield. The other major initiatives being planned under the project includes establishing nine demonstration units and setting up 10 aquatic animal health care centres.
Earlier, the Fisheries Department had embarked on a programme to develop the aquaculture farming practices in the state, by introducing new species in the existing aquaculture scenario of the state.
Considering the immense scope of fisheries and aquaculture, the Central Government had launched a Central Sector Scheme on Blue Revolution: Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries for focused development and management of the fisheries sector and to increase both fish production and productivity from aquaculture and fisheries resources of the inland and marine fisheries sector, including deep-sea fishing.
Cruising ahead
Fisheries Department to launch an umbrella project named ‘development of inland fisheries’ with an outlay of I69.90 crore
Project to be implemented on a state-wide basis will be implemented by Fish Farmers Development Agency and Agency for Aquaculture Development in Kerala
Project includes seven components:
Conservation and management of inland fisheries
Additional infrastructure facilities for fish seed farms
Development and operation of existing farms and hatcheries
Development of aquaculture
Support services for aquaculture
Other important components of the project are:
Generation of 14.4 lakh man-days of labour
Generating a revenue of I270 crore from the sector
Appointing 400 aquaculture promoters
To enhance the production to 25,000 metric tonnes
To double the aquaculture productivity of the state