Union Cabinet Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying Shri Parshottam Rupala chaired the 10th Governing Body Meeting organized by National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh today. Dr. Seediri Appalaraju , Minister of Fisheries , Andhra Pradesh, Shri Mankal S Vaidya, Minister of Fisheries and Ports, Govt of Karnataka and Fisheries officials of Tripura, Uttarakhand & Punjab participated in the meeting. Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary DoF, Smt.Neetu Kmari Prasad, Joint Secretary DoF, Dr.L.Narasimha Murthy, Chief Executive, NFDB were also present in the meeting.
In his address, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal husbandry and Dairying appreciated NFDB as one of the best National level organisations and applauded its contribution, activities and dedication. He said that with limited staff strength NFDB has carved a niche as a part of Ministry for Fisheries in disseminating and implementing Government initiatives, policies for a holistic development of Fisheries sector in this era. Separate percentage for traditional fisherman with high percentage should be examined by NFDB and suggestion should be provided to DoF in consultation with stakeholders which DoF needs to work out. As requested, AP minister has told there should be flexible need to have solution on it. Every state has its own experiences which needs to be taken as way forward and find out an amicable solution in line of guidelines which are prepared as per the scope of Country and its fishers’ development.
Union Minister stressed the importance of fishmeal production similar to shrimp culture, which is having high demand in export market. Policy needs to be worked out for exploring the possibility of developing infrastructure for fish meal, deep sea fishing, boats, traditional processing units, seed requirement etc should be taken on neutral mode. Infrastructure through schemes under fisheries sector with the technical support of NFDB needs to speed up by the respective States. Especially in the state of Haryana and Maharashtra, for establishing fish market for better domestic marketing technical support of NFDB has to be rendered.
The Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal husbandry & Dairying reviewed the progress on Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour with the officials of Port Trust on the project sanctioned under central sector of PMMSY with Total project cost of Rs. 151.81 crore under convergence mode. Shri Rupala also had an interaction with fisherman association. He advised them to coordinate with Port trust to identify the areas /components that are required in Fishing harbour, Visakhapatnam that can be in cooperated. The Minister directed to complete the project with in the stipulated date i.e Oct 2025.
The Andhra Pradesh Fisheries Minister expressed that Andhra Pradesh has few numbers of Fishing harbours, capturing fisheries wholly depends on necessitating bifurcation in unit cost for Craft with separate components like fish nets/ Boats/ motor with flexibility. He said that separate scheme to be formed for platinum rope for boats and craft insurance to be provided. He applauded that PMMSY schemes are providing benefit to every fisher uplifting their livelihood. He requested to consider the insurance to fishing vessels, consideration of providing the craft and gear scheme as single need-based component suiting the fishers, modify the unit cost of deep-sea fishing vessel even up to 40 to 50 lakhs.
Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi commended the NFDB actions in reaching out to grass root level, providing various outreach programmes and stressed the importance of forming a digital platform for creating work identities for the benefit of providing identity to fish workers, business management initiatives, implement climate resilient fisheries technologies.
Chief Executive, NFDB briefed the activities undertaken by NFDB during 2022-23, the various outreach programmes conducted, the clearance of proposals from State/ UTs as the Project Appraisal Committee, innovative projects and initiatives in FFPOs, Entrepreneurship model, training & Capacity building, Fisheries cooperatives.
The meeting was also attended by 13 nominated Non-official GB Members from different States/UTs. The other non-official GB members have enlightened their issues faced by fishermen and need for the development of sector especially fishermen community.
The meeting was followed by a special review of Government schemes Implemented in Andhra Pradesh by Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries. He directed to speed up the large infrastructure projects such as brood bank, integrated aqua park, harbours and landing centres and the procedural delay in sanctioning the loans for FIDF and KCC to fishers and fish farmers. He also expressed that with the various initiatives of Ministry in collaboration with NFDB and fisheries institutes, the KCC card issuance has reached to 1,74,403 followed by finalization of Sagar Parikrama : Phase ‘X’ in Andhra Pradesh , finalising route map for visit of coastal village covering all 13 districts and interaction with fishermen communities, in Andhra Pradesh and planning for KCC camp a pre saturation activities and distribution of certificates under various schemes like PMMSY and KCC.
