Green Fishing Systems for Tropical Seas, a research project funded by National Fund for Basic, Strategic and Frontier Application Research in Agriculture, was formally launched at Central Institute of Fisheries Technology.
The project assumes significance in the backdrop of increasing energy use in the fishery sector and resultant carbon emissions.
A total saving of 470 million litres of fuel is expected if the technology envisaged is adopted in trawling and there will be resultant reduction of 1.23 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Speaking after the launch of the project, the State Fisheries Minister K. Babu said Kerala was one of the first States to impose the monsoon trawl ban, which was emulated by other States.
He pointed out that the fishery sector has been witnessing increasing fish production as well as increase in fleet size and capacities making the sector more energy intensive.
However, urgent and suitable interventions are needed to reduce energy consumption and legislation that can curb the increase in effort. The PPP mode in which this project is being taken up is a welcome step, he said.
Project outlay
The project with an outlay of Rs 12.25 crore envisages optimised energy saving fishing vessels and resource specific fishing gears and better operational methods to save energy.
Goa Shipyard, Garware Wall Ropes Ltd, Pune and DSM India Pvt Ltd, Mumbai are partnering in the effort.
Highlighting some of the important issues in the marine fisheries of Kerala, Mohan Joseph Modayil, former member, Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board, said increase in fish production need not necessarily imply sustainability of the stocks.
The returns to the sector are not commensurate with investments. Resources must be given time to recover and suitable management and governance measures are needed, he said.
A. Bandyopadhyay, national coordinator, NFBSFARA, stressed on the utilisation of scientific resources and spread of the developed model with the involvement of stakeholders and support from the State.
T.K. Srinivasa Gopal, Director, CIFT welcomed the gathering and Leela Edwin, Head, Fishing Technology Division and Principal Investigator of the project, proposed a vote of thanks.
sajeevkumar.v@thehindu.co.in