BHUBANESWAR: Fisheries & Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulanand Mallick on Thursday said the State government is committed to developing Odisha as eastern India’s hub for marine fish production and shrimp exports through the Odisha Deep Sea Fisheries Mission and Odisha Shrimp Mission. Addressing a state-level stakeholder consultation workshop on the two missions, Mallick said the initiatives are aimed at strengthening the fisheries sector, expanding shrimp production and positioning Odisha as a major blue economy growth centre. The Minister said the Odisha Deep Sea Fisheries Mission will focus on harnessing the deep and distant sea fisheries resources of the Bay of Bengal. The mission is expected to generate an additional 2 lakh metric tonnes of marine fish production annually, create more than 50,000 employment opportunities and increase fishermen’s income by two to three times. He said the State aims to raise annual marine export income to Rs 5,000 crore by 2036. Mallick informed that the government has set a target of building 150 new deep-sea fishing vessels and modernising 500 mechanised boats over the next five years. The plan also includes upgrading fishing ports at Paradip, Dhamra, Chandipur and Astaranga and developing infrastructure at 103 fish landing centres. Highlighting the Odisha Shrimp Mission, the Minister said it will promote super-intensive shrimp farming systems with annual production of 30 to 40 metric tonnes per hectare. The mission also envisages the development of shrimp twin hatcheries, feed mills and related infrastructure. “Our goal is to make Odisha the top shrimp-producing and exporting state in India,” he said. On the sidelines of the workshop, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Department of Fisheries and Livestock Development and ICAR-CIBA to improve sustainable fish farming through Responsible Aquaculture Zone Planning and Geospatial Mapping. Secretary, Fisheries & Animal Resources Development, Premachandra Choudhary, presented a detailed overview of both missions. Scientists and experts from the Department of Fisheries, Government of India, ICAR and senior officials of the National Fisheries Development Board shared their views on the two missions and their potential contribution to food security, livelihoods, employment and export earnings.
