Marine entrepreneurial cluster mooted in Mandapam area

It could produce value added products and help fishermen earn additional income

The 10-day training programme organised by CSIR-CECRI for fishermen at Mandapam on Monday.

The Micro, Medium and Small Enterprises – Development Institute (MSME-DI) has suggested marine entrepreneurial cluster in Mandapam area to help the fishermen add value to the fish products and earn income even from fish wastes.

Addressing the 10-day training programme for fishermen in Rameswaram island on “paints and coatings for corrosion and fouling prevention in the seagoing vessels,” organised by CSIR-CECRI on its campus in Mandapam, near here on Monday, G. Shanmuganathan, Additional Industrial Advisor, MSME-DI said the cluster could be established with valued added, fish and food processing units.

“When all kinds of entrepreneurial training programmes are integrated, the cluster could produce value added products and help fishermen earn additional income,” he said. CECRI could help form the cluster in Mandapam on an experimental basis, he said adding if this proved successful, similar clusters could be formed in Thoothukudi, Cuddalore and Chennai.

Inaugurating the training programme, Vijayamohanan K. Pillai, director, CSIR-CECRI, Karaikudi said this kind of skill development programme would help in transferring knowledge and innovations developed in laboratories to the benefit of the fisherfolk.

“This kind of entrepreneurial linked skill programme will help fishermen and others in marine zones enhance their economic status,” he said and exhorted the fishermen to make use of the training programme to make fishing more productive, generate more income and reduce the loss.

Speaking on the occasion, S. Ravichandran, Senior Manager, Berger Paints, Kolkotta said the interactive nature of the programme helped painting companies and scientists understand the problems faced by fishers and find solutions.

K. Ramesh, managing director, Monarch Industries, Theni, demonstrated paints that could be applied for wooden, steel and fibre fishing boats. He also introduced a paint which could be used to plug holes in the boats even while fishing in wet conditions. D. Velayutham, chief scientist, N. Palanisamy and Syed Azim, retired chief scientist from CECRI made presentations on corrosion and paints. R Rajasekar, senior principal scientist coordinated the programme. S. Angappan, senior scientist, G. Subramanian, senior principal scientist and in-charge of CECRI Mandapam unit and Jerina Bubby, Assistant Director, MSME-DI were present.