Underlining the need to empower youth in the fishing sector and enhance employment opportunities, the second Fisheries Skill Advisory Board meeting recommended steps to enhance the skills of fishermen. Organised by the Agriculture Skill Council of India at the Central Institute of Fisheries Nautical and Engineering Training (CIFNET) the meeting observed the Skill India Mission should act as an enabler to Blue Revolution. The meeting was held to suggest ideas that could provide relevant, effective and timely results through skill development in fisheries. India is the second largest producer of fish in the world after China. Besides being a major source of revenue, fisheries has been contributing to the nutritional security of India. With a coastline of 7,517 km, the fishing sector has emerged as a major industry, employing over 14 million people. In the context of the myriad opportunities offered by the fisheries sector, the group deliberated on the need for enhancing the skills of people employed in the sector. The discussions focused on aspects crucial for successful skill development like prioritisation of job roles, mobilisation of resources, designing of training curriculum for skill development, selection of training partners and monitoring and course correction. Senior officers from various Central Government institutes like National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Marine Products Export Development Authority, CIFNET, National Institute of Fisheries Post Harvest Technology and Training, Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute and Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture participated in the deliberations. Senior officers from the Fisheries Departments of Tamil Nadu and Odisha also attended. Agriculture Skill Council of India CEO Satender Arya shared an overview of the skill development efforts taken by ASCI and the need to focus on youth. He emphasized on the commitment of ASCI in skill development. NFDB chief executive Rani Kumudini reflected on the need to enhance the employment opportunities and uplifting traditional fishermen, several of whom live below the poverty line. Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean studies Vice-Chancellor A Ramachandra emphasised on the need to have skill programmes in deep sea fishing. The deliberations would help channelise efforts and resources to create more employment opportunities, enhance production and leverage the sector.
newindianexpress.com 2018