Fisheries output in the country could touch the 10-million-tonne-mark soon, the Minister for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries, Mr Sharad Pawar, has said. From 6.5 mt six years ago, the output increased to 8.4 mt last year.
Addressing a gathering to mark the seventh meeting of the governing body of National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) here on Wednesday, he said that the segment was growing at about 5 per cent.
The Government plans to set up hygienic fish trading platforms in cities such as Nellore. Fish markets would come up at Rajahmundry, Kulgaon (Maharashtra) and at Salt Lake City (West Bengal).
The Government also proposes to set up a National Freshwater Fish Brood Bank (NFFBB) at the fish farm of the Department of Fisheries at Kausalyaganga in Orissa. It would be managed by NFDB in association with CIFA (Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture) at Bhubaneswar.
The executive committee of NFDB had given the in-principle nod to establish the bank.
During 2011-12, the Government spent Rs 100 crore for development of fisheries through National Mission for Protein Supplements. Under this scheme, cage culture in reservoirs and intensive aquaculture in ponds and tanks were being promoted.
This scheme would be continued in 2012-13 with an outlay of Rs 200 crore.