Sri Vijaya Puram, Nov 25: The ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), North & Middle Andaman, celebrated World Fisheries Day on November 21st, 2024, at the Fish Landing Centre, Betapur in collaboration with Department of Fisheries, Fisheries Substation, Billiground. The program focused on the critical importance of sustainable fisheries, conservation of aquatic ecosystems, and safeguarding the livelihoods of fishing communities. The program was inaugurated by Mr. Tapan Kumar Biswas, Assistant Director of Fisheries, North & Middle Andaman district. In his inaugural address, he emphasized the significance of World Fisheries Day in promoting sustainable fisheries and acknowledged the pivotal role of the fishing community in food security. He also encouraged the fishermen to utilize various schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana to improve their livelihoods and adopt sustainable practices, fostering long-term growth and resilience in the fisheries sector. Mr. Subam Debroy, SMS (Fisheries Science), emphasized the need for adopting eco-friendly fishing practices to curb the overexploitation of marine ecosystems and maintain ecological balance. He stressed the importance of adhering to appropriate mesh size regulations and observing fishing bans during the monsoon season to give fish the opportunity to breed at least once in their lifetime, ensuring the sustainability of marine resources. Furthermore, he highlighted the significance of prioritizing aquaculture as a sustainable and scalable solution to address the growing global demand for food while reducing pressure on natural fish stocks. Mr. Rakesh Dawar, SMS (Agronomy), emphasized the significance of World Fisheries Day in raising awareness about sustainable fisheries management. He urged fishermen to leverage resources and opportunities provided by the dedicated fisheries ministry to improve their livelihoods. Mr. Yatharth Sharma, SMS (Home Science), discussed the critical aspects of post-harvest processing and value addition in the fisheries sector. Earlier, Mr. Sanjib Kumar Sutradhar, Fisheries Inspector (Billiground Substation) welcomed the participants and provided an overview of the program. The program was organized under the overall guidance of Dr. Eaknath B. Chakurkar, Director of ICAR-CIARI, Sri Vijayapuram. About 22Fisherman participated and benefited from the program.
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