Union Minister for Food and Consumer Affairs K.V. Thomas has suggested formation of an independent ministry for fisheries at the Centre to address the problems being faced by the sector.

A separate ministry will help exploit the potential of a highly prospective industry which employs more than 20 million families in the Indian Ocean region, he said while speaking at the plenary session of the workshop for the member-countries of India Ocean RIM Association (IORA) here.

Stressing the need for taking serious action to maintain sustainability of fisheries, the Minister assured that the Government would consider the recommendations proposed by the workshop.

According to him, regional cooperation and combined efforts of the IORA countries are needed to make an integrated approach to fisheries management practices in the region.

India will look into the suggestions and proposals made at the workshop to improve the living standards of fishermen by developing the sector, he added.

The workshop, organised jointly by the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) and the Ministry of External Affairs, has recommended a separate fishery ministry for all the IORA countries. Aimed at conserving biodiversity, the workshop recommended a minimum of 20 per cent of marine protected areas to be maintained in the Indian Ocean RIM countries.

There is an urgent need to reduce fleet overcapacity and adopt measures to reduce carbon footprint of the fisheries sector.

The panel also demanded that total allowable catch and quota system should be enforced in all the RIM countries for the conservation of fish stock.

B. Madhusoodana Kurup, Vice-Chancellor, KUFOS, stressed the need for setting up a sound database on exploited fisheries as a pre-requisite to formulate effective fisheries management practices in the Indian Ocean region.

sajeevkumar.v@thehindu.co.in

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