At the Centre level, the
Department
of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, under the Ministry of
Agriculture, is the main agency responsible for overall development of
fish industry in India. It looks after all the matters pertaining to fishing
and fisheries, inland and marine. It is also dealing with matters relating
to livestock production, preservation, protection from disease and improvement
of stocks and dairy development, as well as development of requisite infrastructure
in States/Union Territories (UTs) for improving productivity.
The Department advises Governments of States /UTs in the
formulation of policies and programmes in the field of fisheries. The
main thrust area is expansion of aquaculture in fresh and brackish water
as well as welfare of fisher-folk. The department has been undertaking
various production, input supply and infrastructure development programmes
and welfare oriented schemes, besides formulating/ initiating appropriate
policies to increase production and productivity in the fisheries sector.
There are several Fisheries Institutes under the control
of the Department, namely:-
Further, the National
Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) has been set up to realize the
untapped potential of the fishery sector with the application of modern
tools of research and development, including biotechnology. The Board
has its headquarters at Hyderabad. The main objectives with which it has
set up are to:-
- bring activities relating to fisheries and aquaculture
for focused attention and professional management;
- coordinate activities pertaining to fisheries undertaken
by different Ministries/Departments in the Central Government and also
coordinate with the State/Union Territory Governments;
- improve production, processing, storage, transport and
marketing of the products of capture and culture fisheries;
- achieve sustainable management and conservation of natural
aquatic resources including the fish stocks;
- apply modern tools of research and development including
biotechnology for optimising production and productivity from fisheries;
- provide modern infrastructure mechanisms for fisheries
and ensure their effective management and optimum utilization;
- generate substantial employment;
- train and empower women in the fisheries sector;
- enhance contribute of fish towards food and nutritional
security; etc.
The major activities that have been or to be taken up by
NFDB include: - intensive aquaculture in ponds and tanks; fisheries development
in reservoirs; coastal aquaculture; mariculture; seaweed cultivation;
infrastructure: fishing harbours and landing centres; fish dressing centres
and solar drying of fish; domestic marketing; technology upgradation;
deep sea fishing and tuna processing; etc.
Besides, there is the Ministry
of Food Processing Industries, which is actively involved in processing
of fish. It is the central agency of the Government responsible for developing
a strong and vibrant food processing sector in India, with special focus
on growth of processing of fish and fish products. It aims to create increased
job opportunities in rural areas; enable the farmers to reap benefit from
modern technology; create surplus for exports and stimulate demand for
processed food. It encourages R&D in the processing sector for product
and process development. It also provide policy support, promotional initiatives
and physical facilities to promote value added exports.
Since fishery is a State subject, the
primary responsibility for its development rests with the State Governments.
At the State/ UT level, there are several departments/ divisions which
deals with varied aspects of fisheries sector. Some of them are:-
-
Directorate of Fisheries, Andaman and Nicobar Administration
- Directorate
of Fisheries, Arunachal Pradesh
- Fishery
Department, Assam
- Department
of Fisheries, Chhattisgarh
- Department
of Fisheries, Kerala
- Fisheries
Department, Haryana
- Fisheries
Department, Himachal Pradesh
- Fisheries
Department, Lakshadweep
- Fisheries
Department, Madhya Pradesh
- Fisheries
Department, Odisha
