Remote sensing to be used to map areas

With Andhra Pradesh State having 974-km coastline, income from captured and cultured fish can be grown manifold by creating proper awareness among farmers.

An open pond at Korukallu in Krishna district where shrimp is being raised.

Commissioner of Fisheries Ramsankar Naik on Sunday said in Visakhapatnam that district and mandal-wise maps were being prepared using remote sensing data to identify creeks and estuaries for undertaking aquaculture.

He was speaking at an interactive meet with aquaculture farmers of North Andhra organised here at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute to create awareness on best management practices and bio-security and disease management.

Role for Irrigation Dept.

Mr. Naik said he had directed the district authorities to involve the Irrigation Department to undertake de-silting and de-weeding of the potential areas where aquaculture could be taken up.

He said they would set up quarantine facilities for fish and prawn hatcheries in Visakhapatnam and Nellore. Referring to the new fisheries policy, which is under preparation, he said that the government was committed to giving more sops to the farmers.

Though the State had 974-km coastline, the income from captured and cultured fish could be grown manifold by creating proper awareness among the farmers.

Advice to bankers

Calling for easy credit flow into the sector, he advised the bankers to be liberal in granting loans.

He also underlined the need for improving cold storage and processing infrastructure, and pointed out how tuna was being sold by some fishermen at Rs.20 per kg even as there was a potential to earn Rs.500 per kg if the sesame grade tuna was flown within 24 hours to Japan.

Juvenile fish

Mr. Naik said fishermen should abstain from capturing juvenile fish. He also hinted that they would supply 2,800 solar pump-sets originally sanctioned for agriculture with a provision of subsidy to progressive aqua farmers.

CMFRI Scientist in-charge of Visakhapatnam centre Shubhodeep Ghosh, Central Institute of Fisheries Technology Principal Scientist U. Sreedhar, and Assistant Director of Drug Control Administration V. Vijaya Sekhar explained the precautions to be taken by the aqua farmers.

NABARD DGM Prasada Rao, Lead District Manager D. Sarat Babu, Fisheries Joint Director Koteswara Rao, Assistant Director (Hyderabad) Shankar Rao, P. Rammohan Rao from the State Institute of Fisheries Technology (Kakinada), and MPEDA Deputy Director Ansar Ali were present.