Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (Kufos) in Kochi, India, observed World Fisheries Day on Thursday with several programmes, including a colourful rally and public conference.
The rally was flagged off by Kufos Vice-Chancellor B Madhusoodana Kurup at Lakeshore Junction in which teachers, students, fishery scientists, officials, social workers and fishermen’s leaders participated. The slogan of the rally was conservation of fishery resource for the protection of human kind.
Artistic talents of the students highlighting the significance of the day were also displayed in the rally. The public conference was inaugurated by Planning Board member C P John. He stressed the need for initiating blue revolution (fish revolution) emulating the models of green and white revolutions. Breeding technology and advanced fish farming techniques should be introduced instead of concentrating only on capture fisheries. Nutritional security and protein security on a par with Food Security Act should be achieved by exploiting the prospects of fisheries. In Kerala, indigenous fish specie are facing severe threat leading to extinction. Kufos can take up a study in this regard and find solutions to the problems. In addition to developing fishery science, the university should also strive for the uplift and socio-economic progress of the fishermen, C P John said.
Vice-Chancellor B Madhusoodana Kurup in his presidential address said that Kufos would take steps to bring the fisherfolk into the mainstream of society.
Dr K Gopakumar, former senior scientist with ICAR delivered the keynote address on the Significance of World Fisheries Day.
2012 The New Indian Express