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Kalam suggests separate fisheries ministry

Kochi: Former President A P J Abdul Kalam Sunday said it was important to have a separate fisheries ministry to boost the sector. "The fisheries sector has been witnessing steady growth, with annual fish production rising to seven million tons. A separate fisheries ministry can be created to give impetus to fisheries development," he said at a function at Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) here in connection with international year of Biodiversity celebrations. Kalam said the fisheries sector has high potential for rural development, domestic nutritional security, employment generation, gender mainstreaming as well as export earnings. He also urged CIFT to spearhead strategies to conserve biodiversity of aquatic resources. Kalam stressed on the need to address issues of property rights in inland and coastal fisheries to facilitate management and find technological solutions for seasonal problems of the fishing population. He suggested an action plan to increase fish production in Andaman and Nicobar islands and developing it as a fisheries hub. Kalam suggested establishing coastal PURAs (Providing Urban Facilities in Rural Areas) with physical, electronic, knowledge and economic connectivity to ensure food, nutritional and livelihood security of coastal populations and the importance of producing clean bio-fuel from marine algae. He proposed five missions for economic prosperity of the fishing community and fishermen villages -- setting up PURAs in coastal areas, capacity building of fishermen through deep sea fishing training, CIFT conducting courses for fishermen in preserving fresh fish and sending fishermen for training to countries where fish production and processing are highly developed.

                                                                                                               
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