Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Minister Anitha R. Radhakrishnan on Saturday told the Assembly that an ornamental fish trade centre would be set up at Kolathur in Chennai, a hub for ornamental fish.
He said the ₹50 crore project, on a par with international quality, would be implemented through public-private partnership to benefit 2,000 families that are breeding, selling and exporting ornamental fish.
The Minister also announced an integrated ornamental fish culture demonstration Centre at the Fisheries College and Research Institute at Thoothukudi at a cost of ₹3.2 crore.
Mr. Radhakrishnan said since there was a demand for viral (snakehead fish), the department would set up a hatchery at Agaram in Cuddalore district at a cost of ₹40 lakh to increase productivity.
Landing centre
He said a fish landing centre would be constructed at Manappadu in Thoothukudi district at a cost of ₹45 crore after dredging and desilting the sand accumulated in the place where Karumeni river merged with the sea.
Another fish landing centre would be constructed in Amali Nagar, Jeeva Nagar, Alanthalai, Meenavar Colony and Kulasekarapatinam. The project cost is ₹12 crore, and the centre will have an auction centre and a net knitting centre with concrete roads. In Ekkiarkuppam in Villupuram also, a fish landing centre would be set up at a cost of ₹10 crore.
Similar fish landing centres would be constructed in Kesavaputhanthurai, Keezha Manakudi and Mela Manakudi at a cost of ₹79 crore.
The project cost for a fish landing centre Chengalpattu district is ₹57 crore.
