Mysore/Mysuru:  Stating that the current fish trade in the country stands at 14.76 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT), Deputy Director of Fisheries Training Centre at Kabini in H.D. Kote taluk, Mahadev said that the Government has plans to increase this number to 21 MMT in the next five years under the Prime Minister’s Matsya Sampada Yojana, a scheme aimed to bring about ecologically healthy, economically viable and socially inclusive development of the fisheries sector of the country. 

He was speaking at the one-day special training programme on ‘Pisciculture and Government facilities for fishermen’ for CEOs and office-bearers of Fishermen Co-operative Societies from Mysuru district, organised under the joint aegis of Karnataka Co-operative Federation, Karnataka State Fisheries Co-operative Federation, District Co-operative Union and Co-operation Department, at the Mysuru District Co-operative Union Auditorium on Chamaraja Double road here recently.

Pointing out that Karnataka accounts for 1 MMT out of the 14.76 MMT of fish production in the country, Mahadev said that the Union Ministry of Fisheries is implementing the Prime Minister’s Matsya Sampada Yojana scheme across the country at a cost of Rs. 20,050 crore  in the 2021-25 period. Stressing on the need for getting prepared for effective implementation of this massive scheme, he said that fish is considered as a nutritious food. Maintaining that fish consumption in the country is witnessing a rise every year due to its nutritional value, he opined that fish breeding and pisciculture  is far more easier and profitable than other forms of dairying.

Maintaining that lakes  are being directly let out for fishing to Fishermen Co-operative Societies, Mahadev  said that other water bodies under Government control are leased through e-tenders. Emphasising on the need for promoting inland fisheries, he said that fishermen societies of coastal areas are far more organised and this should be emulated by Inland Fisheries Societies for better earnings.

Earlier, Karnataka State Fisheries Co-operative Federation Chairman M.N. Siddalingaraju inaugurated the programme.

Karnataka Co-operative Federation Managing Director Arali Suryakanth, District Co-operative Union President H.V. Rajeev, who is also a former MUDA Chairman, Directors M.B. Manjegowda, Siddegowda and Y. Bhyrappa, Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Societies G.R. Vijaykumar and others were present.