The Digha Regional Station of ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute organized a stakeholders meet on ‘Resource Assessment and Management Framework for Sustainable Marine Fisheries of West Bengal and Odisha’ on today.
The meet was presided over by Mr. Jayanta Kumar Pradhan, Assistant Director of Fisheries (Marine), Contai, Purba Medinipur and chaired by Dr. J. Charles Jeeva, Principal Scientist and Head-in-Charge, Visakhapatnam Regional Centre of ICAR-CMFRI. Dr. Subal Kumar Roul, Scientist-in-Charge of Digha Regional Station highlighted the research, extension, and development activities of ICAR-CMFRI along the maritime states of India.
The points of the discussion centered on researchable issues in marine fisheries, technological and training needs, livelihood issues, development and infrastructure needs including breakwater facilities and periodical dredging of river mouths to ensure smooth navigation of fishing crafts. The scope of open sea cage farming, coastal cage farming and diversification in fisheries including seaweed culture and ornamental fish culture were also discussed.
The meet came up with a set of recommendations, including bringing out the document on ‘Minimum Legal Size’ for the commercially important marine fishes along the coast of West Bengal; and preventing the capture and trading of undersized commercially important fishes such as pomfrets and Hilsa. The workshop also called for an input control system such as the use of square mesh in fishing gears and an output control system such as total allowable catch (TAC) for ensuring the sustainability of marine fisheries.
The marine fisherwoman from Purba Medinipur and Smt. Minakshi Manna from Dakshin Purushottampur was felicitated on this occasion. Shri. Samir Halder, a specially-abled beneficiary of PMMSY scheme, who is vending fish through a three-wheeler with ice box was also felicitated. Two publications; (i) Pamphlet titled ‘Marine Fish Landings of West Bengal – 2022’ and (ii) Fish Poster titled ‘Marine Fishes of the North East Coast of India-1’ were also released during the event.
About 70 stakeholders representing MPEDA, ZSI, BENFISH, fishermen associations, fishing boat owners, fishermen from mechanized, motorized, and artisanal fisheries sectors, wholesale and retail fish traders, dry fish traders, ice-plant owners, and exporters participated and deliberated on various issues related to sustainable marine fisheries management of West Bengal.