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MPEDA to focus on tuna export

— FILE PHOTO

A GOOD CATCH: A fisherman displaying tuna fish caught in the traditional way near Kavaratti in Lakshadweep.

KOCHI: The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) has embarked on a project to utilise tuna resources. It has focused on converting 1,000 fishing vessels to tuna long liners.

Tuna is the third largest internationally traded fishery commodity. High value tuna is sashimi grade tuna, which is consumed raw and MPEDA is focusing on this market, a top official of MPEDA told The Hindu. The demand for fresh chilled tuna is on the rise. Major markets are Japan USA and the European Union, he said.

Exploitation of tuna resources is identified as the thrust area for developing fishery exports. The present export of about 35,000 tonnes is valued at $53.22 million. The contribution by the chilled tuna is only 566 tonnes valued at $2.33 million. MPEDA is expecting an export turnover of around 500 million by 2012.

There are schemes providing subsidies for conversion of existing fishing vessels to tuna long liners, interest subsidy for resource-specific tuna long liners. MPEDA has already provided assistance worth Rs. 370 lakh for the conversion of 112 fishing vessels to monofilament long liners.

MPEDA has also initiated a scheme for development of tuna fishery in the Andamans which has already begun. A proposal for the development of tuna fishery in Lakshadweep is under consideration. It is expected that India will have a very large efficient and effective fleet of tuna long liners by 2012 and become one of the world leaders in the supply of tuna especially the high value tuna.

Twenty fishing boats, converted to facilitate tuna fishing, were launched at Munambam on Monday. MPEDA Chairman Mohan Kumar flagged off the boats. The boats are fitted with ‘monofilament tuna long liners’ and other accessories.

Work on 100 boats is underway at Visakhapatnam while another 100 boats are readied at Chennai, according to an official of Moon Fishery (India) Private Limited, the Indian company involved in the project, in association with MPEDA.

New tuna fishing boats cost over Rs.60 lakh while the converted ones would cost Rs. 40-45 lakh, according to the company. MPEDA provides 50 per cent subsidy for the tuna long liners. Fishermen were trained in tuna catching and experts from Indonesia and Japan were involved in the training. Tuna is processed at the company’s facility at Aroor and about 10-12,000 kg of processed fish is exported daily to Japan, USA and Europe.

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