Doubling Fish Farmers’ Income Mooted in IFAF Meet

Kochi: Doubling fish farmers’ income is the major challenge to be met with fisheries experts in India; opined experts in the 11th Indian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum (11 IFAF). The experts also called a better dissemination mechanism for the aquaculture technologies and best practices for reaching out to aqua farmers. Speaking at the occasion

The major threats to the coastal fisheries sector were identified at the forum as increase in fishing intensity, declining stocks, conflict between the fishing sectors, inappropriate exploitation pattern and habitat degradation were elaborated upon at the forum. Experts called for strategies to be formulated to boost production from the sector and sustain growth by introducing fuel-efficient and resources specific craft and gear, eco-friendly and responsible fishing techniques for EEZ, post-harvest value addition, waste utilization and by-products from un-conventional fish species, biomedical, pharmaceutical and industrial products from aquatic organisms and expansion of domestic and international marketing network.

Aquaculture experts at the forum stressed for improved thrust to be given on increasing the area under aquaculture, increasing productivity, diversification of candidate species, research support for sustainability, eco-friendly and techno-economically viable hatchery culture systems, fish health management and disease diagnostics, fish nutrition and feed formulation, fish genetics and selective breeding and utilization of inland saline soils for aquaculture.

Several experts like YEW-HU CHIEN, J.K. SUNDARAY, G. GOPAKUMAR, GOPAL KRISHNA, A.K. SINGH, K. SUNIL MOHAMED, KENNY THOMAS AND V. SUDERSHAN RAO spoke on topics covering Dietary effects of various phytochemical supplements, better institutional perspective in doubling farmers’ income, Sustainable Mariculture Production to meet the increasing demand for seafood in India, Genetic diversity: Key for sustainable fisheries, Innovative research strategies for assessing aquatic resources and augmenting fisheries in Himalayan region, New developments in marine fisheries governance in India, Value addition of fishery products: Opportunities and sustainability Issues from an industry perspective and Safety and regulation of food additives during the Forum.