The State government is in the process of making a policy for the promotion of inland fisheries. It will be a pro-farmer policy, Pramod Madhwaraj, Minister of State for Fisheries, Youth Empowerment and Sports, said here on Monday.
Addressing a gathering at the National Fish Farmers Day function at the College of Fisheries, the Minister said that the policy is aimed at removing middlemen and arranging a direct marketing link for the produces of inland fish farmers.
The policy would lay stress on increasing fish production by at least 10 times, though there is scope for increasing the production by 100 times. Lakes and other inland water sources should be exploited for increasing production, he said.
The Minister said that 5.73 lakh hectares of inland water bodies were available in the State for the promotion of inland fisheries.
Asking Fisheries Department officials to encourage aquaculture, he said that the officials were citing the rules pertaining to coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) as a hindrance for promoting it in the coastal districts. “But I don’t agree with you. Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha are far ahead in aquaculture when compared to Karnataka. Why CRZ rules are not an issue in those States?” the Minister questioned.
Mr. Madhwaraj said that there was ample scope for aquaculture promotion in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada. The officials should realise it and initiate steps. The Minister said that the fisheries sector in the State was facing a peculiar situation. On the one side, marine fisheries was overexploited and on the other, inland fisheries was underexploited. “We have not used even one per cent of the potential of inland fisheries in the State,” he said.
The Minister said that marine wealth was on the downward trend due to overexploitation and increased number of fishing boats, nets, fish catch.
Mr. Madhwaraj said that the State was producing 60 crore fingerlings against the demand for 90 crore fingerlings per annum. Steps were being taken to increase fish seed production.
The Minister released a book on fisheries.
M.N. Venugopal, Dean, College of Fisheries, and Shivakumar Magada, head, Krishi Vignana Kendra, Mangaluru, spoke.
