Maharashtra Govt asks CMFRI's tech support for setting up large scale fish farming ventures

New Delhi, May 5 (KNN) Eyeing at large scale cage fish farming ventures in Maharashtra, the state government has asked the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) for technical support in setting up units in brackish water resources.

The meeting was held at CMFRI headquarters in Kochi, where Maharashtra Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests N Vasudevan participated in the talks on behalf of the Maharashtra Government.

In the meeting Deepak Kesarkar, the Finance, Planning and Home (Rural) Minister of Maharashtra, urged CMFRI authorities to provide technical guidance to launch 500 cage fish farming units in brackish water resources in Sindhudurg, a coastal district in Maharashtra.

He said for implementing a suitable cage farming model in accordance with ecological and geographical conditions of the brackish water resources in the region, financial support will be provided by the Maharashtra Government.

In addition, he pointed out that “Cage farming models implemented by CMFRI at Pizhala in Ernakulam and in Mangaluru are highly successful”.

Thus, Maharashtra Government is eager to imitate such models in Sindhudurg to provide better livelihood options to the coastal populace, he added.

In this direction, the team from Mariculture Division of CMFRI has decided to visit Sindhudurg to assess the ecological conditions and carrying capacity of water bodies before launching cage fish farming.

The team will also select ideal spots and suitable species for farming and review the environmental and geographical aspects of the region.

After doing all the research and analysis, a detailed project proposal will be submitted to the Maharashtra Government.

Further, he wanted CMFRI to provide technical support to set up backyard hatchery units of cobia and silver pompano in the district.

He asked for institute help in formulating fishing regulation for Maharashtra and provide technical support for oyster and mussel farming.

CMFRI Mariculture division head Imelda Joseph, Fishery Resources Assessment division head T V Sathianandan, Marine Biodiversity division’s K K Joshi, Demersal Fisheries division head P U Zacharia and principal scientists A P Dineshbabu and C Ramachandran were present during the meeting. (KNN/YV)