The Central Institute of Fisheries Nautical and Engineering Training (CIFNET) and MPEDA-NETFISH will hold training programmes jointly for fisher community in all coastal States and Union Territories.

The MoU in this regard was signed by AK Choudhury, Director, CIFNET, and Joice V Thomas, Chief Executive, MPEDA-NETFISH here.

The initiative is aimed at welfare and socio-economic upliftment of the fisher community, as well as resource conservation and post harvest quality management by imparting adequate skill development training programmes under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana scheme.       

Fisheries extension services play a pivotal role in the development of fisheries sector by providing technical assistance, public outreach, training and education and constitute an important link between research findings and the end users. Fisheries management requires rigorous education campaigns, public participation and joint participation programmes. Training fishers on resource conservation, post-harvest handling and other techniques requires devoted efforts from dedicated extension agencies.

Encountering hurdles

Marine fishing is presently encountering many hurdles by way of reduction of catch, species loss, wanton destruction of juvenile fish, climate change related dwindling in catches, heavy fuel prize, shortage of manpower, natural calamities, etc. Similarly, seafood exports face numerous challenges on account to implementation of trade related restrictions and requirements from major importing countries. A collaborative effort is required to empower fisher community to tide over these multifarious issues.

The training programme propose to support fishers by imparting hands on training programmes in tuna long line fishing, use of improved gears and methods, improving energy efficiency of fishing crafts, on-board fish preservation and handling for better value realization, conservation of fish and other marine resources, sustainable fishing, combating plastic pollution, hygiene and sanitation, sea safety and navigation, vessel monitoring systems, etc. This will help to improve the earnings of fishers, reduce the post harvest loss and lead to the overall betterment of capture fisheries sector.

NETFISH is the extension wing of MPEDA aims at improving the quality of fishery products exported and for the sustainability of fishery resources.

CIFNET conduct short term and long term training programmes for fishers along the coastal states and union territories to skill the fishers in various allied subjects such as safety at sea, use of communication equipment, onboard training in tuna long line fishing, etc.

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