Post Flood Scenario in Fisheries Sector: Workshop held at CUSAT

KOCHI:
“Traditional fisherman should be equipped for deep sea fishing keeping away multinational entities, meeting the initial expenses utilising funds from co-operative sector”, said former fisheries minister and MLA S. Sharma.

He was inaugurating the one day national workshop on post flood scenario in fisheries sector, organized by CUSAT School of Industrial Fisheries. “Inland fish farmers should be educated in novel agricultural techniques and traditional fishermen should be trained in deep sea fishing in order to rebuild and attain sustainable development in fisheries sector post flood,” he said.

He added that CUSAT should take initiative to organize International Science Congress ensuring participation of specialists from various fields including fisheries sector. Dr. B. Madhusoodana Kurup, founder Vice chancellor of KUFOS who delivered the key note address said that the flood debris is getting dumped in backwaters and coastal area.

An initiative should be taken to study about the consequences caused by such debris on the ecology of sea and sea creatures and also about the health issues and other consequences faced by the coastal dwellers. He also said that urgent steps should be taken to remove these derbies scientifically. Dr. Kurup pointed out that sea farming draft policy proposed by central government should be reviewed and open discussion should be made to rectify the shortfalls in the draft policy before it is accepted. He also added that insurance coverage should be provided for fish farming.

Dr. R Sasidharan, Vice chancellor, CUSAT presided over the inaugural function. Dr. Leela Edwin, head of department, CIFT, Dr. T.G Manoj, programme co-ordinator of Rajeev Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture, P Sahadevan, Additional director of Fisheries, Dr. V. N Sanjeevan, Director of CMLRE, Dr. Rani Palaniswami, Scientist, Rural Research Centre, Dr. Ranjith Nambiar, Associate Professor, KUFOS, Dr. M Harikrishnan and Rasweef Ali spoke.