Blue economy, a topic to reckon with now in State and Union Budgets, gains significance after fishermen reported alarming presence of plastic waste off Vizhinjam and Shanghumughom coast, according to Minister for Fisheries J. Mercykutty Amma.
Marine ecology
The Minister was addressing a gathering on Tuesday after inaugurating a national seminar on ‘Blue economy: fostering sustainable development’ that was organised by the Zoology Department of the Fatima Mata National College in Kollam.
On keeping marine ecology intact, Mr. Mercykutty Amma said that human beings had a big role to play in ensuring a garbage-free ocean.
All water resources should be kept healthy through sustainable use, she said.
Protection of the sea and the sea bed was vital in this connection, and the first step towards this was to ensure a clean sea.
Vast resource
“The ocean is a vast resource of wealth for all forms of life. But its continuation as such a form of wealth depends upon how human beings protect it,” she said.
The Fisheries Minister also said, even while ensuring the ecological health of oceans, moves should be made to change marine fishing in such a way that priority was given to native fishermen.
Ms. Mercykutty Amma also wanted prominence to be given to aquaculture.
Kerala, she said, was lagging behind in aquaculture despite the State having plenty of water resources suitable for the purpose.
Aquaculture
Andhra Pradesh, which stood first in the field, achieved excellence in aquaculture through the creation of artificial water sources in that State, the Minister said.
