The demand by fishermen to upgrade the College of Fisheries, Mangaluru, as a fisheries sciences university received a shot in the arm with the council of the Mangaluru City Corporation passing a resolution on Friday seeking university status for it.
An agenda moved by the member of the council Bharat Kumar S. in the monthly meeting of the council received unanimous support. The council, which supported the demand, agreed to request the government for it.
The agenda tabled in the council mentioned that the college established in Yekkur in 1969 was the first of its kind in South East Asia. Initially, the college was affiliated to the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bengaluru.
It was brought under the Bidar-based Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University (KVAFS) in 2005. Both the universities have not given due importance and priority to the college. Hence, there is a need to grant university status for the college.
It said that fisheries is a major profession in the coastal belt. The sector required continuous guidance and technical support. If a university is set up, it can impart skill training to fishermen and it will help boost their economy. Having a fisheries university will also be a pride for Mangaluru.
The formation of the university will help impart various skills to fishermen, get reservation facility in admission to various courses and guide fishermen to uplift themselves socially and economically.
Meanwhile, on November 11, 2020, chairman of Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation and president of Mangaluru Trawl Boat Fishermen’s Association Nitin Kumar and other stakeholders wrote to then Minister for Fisheries, Ports and Inland Transport Kota Srinivas Poojary to prevail upon the government to declare the over-a-half century-old College of Fisheries as a fisheries university.
They urged the government to declare the formation of the university on World Fishermen’s Day on November 21 itself.
In a renewed appeal this July, the fishermen urged the government to grant university status to the college. They had also launched a signature campaign. s
