The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) will support the administration of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in launching online data collection of marine fish catch from 74 fish landing centres in the archipelago.
The data collection was formally launched following a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the CMFRI and the Department of the Fisheries of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration.
As part of the MoU, CMFRI introduced its sampling methodology for the estimation and analysis of the catch data through fish catch survey and analysis (FCSA) software from landing centres of the islands by using electronic tablets.
The institute also trained the enumerators, deployed by the Andaman Administration, to collect the catch data using CMFRI methodology. This is the first time the marine fish catch data is collected from the archipelago with statistically supported software.
Inaugurating the initiative, G Sudhakar, Fisheries Secretary to the Administration, said the introduction of CMFRI’s methodology would help the islands generate a reliable database on marine fish catch and will help the administration in fixing various developmental plans in the island’s marine fisheries sector.
“CMFRI’s support will help estimate both resource-wise and fishing gear-wise fish landings,” he said.
He also sought CMFRI’s technical support in the development of deep-sea fishing, seaweed farming and cage fish farming in the Andaman Islands.
CMFRI Director A Gopalakrishnan said the institute has been regularly collecting marine fish catch data from all the fish landing centres in the country using this software, which is recognised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Though the data is collected for research purposes, CMFRI shares the information with the government and the coastal States that have inked MoUs with the institute.
CMFRI already signed MoU with Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu in collecting marine fish catch data. Andaman Islands are highly prospective for the marine ornamental fishery, seaweed farming and cage fish farming.