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Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying unveils ICAR CMFRIs study on Marine Fish Stock Status of India 2022

Shri Parshottam Rupala, Hon’ble Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has unveiled a remarkable study report by the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CMFRI) on 31st August 2023 during the ‘Sagar Parikrama phase VIII at Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.The report titled ‘Marine Fish Stock Status of India 2022’ reveals that India’s marine fish stock is healthy and sustainable. According to the study, a resounding 91.1% of the 135 fish stocks assessed in 2022 were deemed healthy, marking a significant milestone in India's efforts to maintain the sustainability of its marine fisheries. The report also highlighted the substantial reduction in unsustainable practices, with just 4.4% of the stocks facing overfishing.These findings are poised to substantiate India's position at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and are anticipated to have a favourable impact on the country's stance in international trade negotiations. This report is also expected to be a game-changer in India’s seafood exports as sustainability has emerged as a key criterion in the global seafood trade. Minister Shri. Rupala also released ICAR-CMFRI’s special publication titled ‘Good Management Practices in Seaweed Farming’ on the occasion. ICAR-CMFRI has identified 333 prospective seaweed farming sites covering 23,950 hectares, aimed at horizontal expansion of seaweed cultivation. India has a seaweed production potential of 9.88 million t wet weight per year while the current production stands at merely 52,107 t wet weight per year. Seaweed farming has the potential to provide revenue up to Rs. 13.28 lakhs per hectare in a year on a dry weight basis.

On the previous day, 30th August 2023, Union Minister Shri. Prashottam Rupala visited the Vizhinjam Regional Centre of ICAR-CMFRI, Vizhinjam, Kerala. Addressing the gathering at the Centre, the Minister emphasised that offshore cage farming is the immediate focus of the country using bigger cages. “Cage fish farming is to be expanded to the offshore waters with better cage designs having a size of 30 diameters or above that can accommodate lakhs of juveniles”, Shri Rupala said. He added that ICAR-CMFRI should spearhead research and development efforts in creating these advanced cages. The Minister also urged ICAR-CMFRI to expand seed production technologies for finfishes to all the coastal states utilising the public-private-partnership (PPP) mode. Shri Parshottam Rupala also underscored the untapped potential of Pearl Oyster production, urging ICAR-CMFRI to take a proactive role in scaling up its production in a bigger way. Dr L Murugan, Hon’ble Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Shri. V Muraleedharan, Hon’ble Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs accompanied Shri Parshottam Rupala.

Shri. Abhilaksh Likhi IAS, Secretary, to the Department of Fisheries, Govt. of India also visited the Vizhinjam Regional Centre of ICAR-CMFRI on 31st August 2023. He said that the Central Government is keen on developing bivalve farming, including mussels, edible oysters, pearl oysters and clams in the country under its PMMSY scheme. He appreciated the efforts of ICAR-CMFRI and its Vizhinjam Centre, which has been at the forefront of providing training to the fish farmers of Kerala in ornamental fish culture and cage culture. 

Sea ranching of the green tiger shrimp Penaeus semisulcatus under the Central Sector Scheme component of

'Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana' (PMMSY)

A total of 6.8 million green tiger shrimp seeds (PL 35) were sea ranched at Mandapam, Koyilvadi (Palk Bay) on 7th September, 2023 under the Project entitled "Sea ranching of Green tiger shrimp (Penaeus semisulcatus) Post Larvae (PL) in Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu" funded by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Govt. of India under the Central Sector Scheme component of the PMMSY. The shrimp seeds were released by Shri. M. Sivakumar, Assistant Director of Fisheries and Fisherman Welfare, Mandapam, Fishermen Association Leaders in the presence of Dr. K. Vinod, Head, Dr. G. Tamilmani, Principal Investigator of the project, Scientists and staff of Mandapam Regional Centre of ICAR-CMFRI. The fishermen thanked the Government of India and ICAR-CMFRI for such an initiative and expressed that this activity will be helpful in replenishing and enhancing the green tiger shrimp stock in the wild. A total of 75.34 million green tiger shrimp seeds were sea ranched in Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar since the inception of the Project (February, 2022). The sea ranching programme was coordinated by Dr. B. Johnson, Senior Scientist of the Centre.

Sea ranching of the green tiger shrimp Penaeus semisulcatus under the Central Sector Scheme component of

'Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana' (PMMSY)

A total of 1.6 million green tiger shrimp seeds (PL 20) were sea ranched at Maraikayarpattianam (Gulf of Mannar) on 23rd June, 2023 under the Project entitled "Sea ranching of Green tiger shrimp (Penaeus semisulcatus) Post Larvae (PL) in Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu" funded by Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Govt. of India under the Central Sector Scheme component of the PMMSY. The shrimp seeds were released by the staff of Mandapam Regional Centre of ICAR-CMFRI in the presence of Dr. G. Tamilmani, Head-in-Charge & Principal Investigator of the project. A total of 58.24 million green tiger shrimp seeds were sea ranched in Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar since the initiation of the Project (February, 2022). The sea ranching programme was coordinated by Dr. B. Johnson, Senior Scientist of the Centre.