Kerala - Kollam   

Report calls for raising inland fish production

KOLLAM: A special sitting of the Kerala Task Force on Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture held at Aluva on Thursday submitted its final action plan report to Fisheries Minister S.Sarma.

The action plan called for over 150 per cent increase in inland fish production from the present 0.78 lakh tonnes to 2 lakh tonnes over a period of 10 years.

The 10-member task force headed by the former Food and Agriculture organisation consultant M.N. Kutty as chairman was constituted in April last. The report was prepared after holding comprehensive sittings in various parts of the State.

In addition to increasing fish production, the task force was entrusted with the task of preparing programmes for attaining self-sufficiency in the production of quality fish feed within the State, projects for value-addition and marketing network of inland fishes, development of the ornamental fisheries sector with particular emphasis on export and proposals for leasing of public water bodies, insurance scheme for aquaculture and treating aquaculture on a par with agriculture.

The report said the State had not been able to take advantage of the vast water potential and rich experience in inland and coastal aquaculture.

The State government should evolve appropriate leasing policies for fisheries and aquaculture operations.

While ownership of the water bodies may rest with any of the departments, fishery and aquaculture rights should remain with the Fisheries Department.

A minimum lease period of five years will attract full and proper investments from entrepreneurs in the aquaculture sector.

Appropriate regulatory measures should be enforced to prevent proliferation of undesirable exotic fish species introduced without proper evaluation and certification.

The report calls for a detailed study of the exotic fish species with regard to culture possibilities and their likely effects on indigenous species and biodiversity.

The report notes that coastal aquaculture as seen today has developed on a single commodity, shrimp, with total export orientation.

This has led to the neglect of the large potential for diversification and domestic market needs.

The report also calls for an overall fish health management programme for the State with regard to quality of seeds and fish feed. Disease diagnostic capabilities need to be developed through establishment of a chain of laboratories.

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