VIJAYAWADA: State’s objective to emerge top in fisheries sector, be it aquaculture, inland fishing, marine fishing, fish processing exports in next one decade can only be possible with sufficient number of experts of these sub fields.
However, there is a wide gap between demand and supply, when it comes to experts. The lone College of Fisheries Sciences in Muthukur of Nellore district is only able to produce around 40 experts per year, while the aquaculture sector alone is growing at 10 to 15 per cent per annum.
To bridge the gap, the State government has decided to set up a University of Fisheries in West Godavari district. If everything goes as planned, the university will start functioning from the next academic year.
In September this year, the State cabinet approved the AP State Fisheries University Ordinance 2020 and decided to spend Rs 300 crore on the proposed varsity in a span of five years. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, during the foundation stone-laying of the fishing harbours couple of days ago, said that works pertaining to the AP State Fisheries University will commence in 3-4 months.
“Lack of skilled personnel in the sector is resulting in aqua farmers suffering losses and the proposed varsity will fill the gap. There is a great demand for experts in the fisheries sector, as sea food exports follow stringent guidelines and even a single violation of terms and conditions might result in a loss of several crores of rupees. Once the university is established, not only experts can be produced, but also research and development activity, extension activity can be taken up more vigorously,” explained P Koteswara Rao, Principal, State Institute of Fisheries Technology.
There is an increasing demand for Bachelor in Fisheries Sciences (BFSc), MFSc courses, which have different specialisations and once the fisheries university is established, several courses tailor made for the needs of the sector can be introduced.
“There is high demand for hatchery technicians, feed technicians, aquaculture technicians, fisheries marketing, pharmacology and experts in other sub sectors of fisheries. With the plans of setting up more fish processing plants in the State in future, demand for these experts will only grow,” Koteswara Rao said.
Fisheries university in WG to fill gap
State govt has decided to set up a University of Fisheries in West Godavari district
The university might start functioning from next year
Rs 300 cr will be spend on the proposed varsity in five years
Works will commence in 3 to 4 months
Maharashtra Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Naud and West Bengal have exclusive universities for fisheries sciences