Following programmes have been undertaken for fisheries development in the country :
1. Under the India-Norway Project (INP) traditional fishing crafts are being mechanised and modernised as a result of which satpati, machhawa, lodhia, malia and tuticoran boats have been developed.
2. Training centers for fishermen have been established at Satpati (Maharashtra), Verawal (Saurashtra), Kojan and Tutukandi (Tamil Nadu).
3. Fishing farm docks are functioning at Cuddalore, Royapuram (Tamil Nadu), Kandla, Veraval (Gujarat), Vijinjam (Kerala), Sassoon Dock (Maharashtra), and Port Blair (Andaman-Nicobar).
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4. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research with eight fisheries research institutes is carrying out research for developing technologies for the exploitation of various aquatic resources. The Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Kausaly aganga, Bhubaneswar, and Orissa promotes R & D in freshwater aquaculture and also helps training and extension in the sector.
The Central Institute of Fisheries Nautical and Engineering Training, Kochi with branches at Chennai and Vishakhapatnam aims at making available sufficient number of operators for deep-sea fishing vessels and technicians for shore establishments. The Central Institute of Coastal Engineering for Fisheries, Bangalore is engaged in techno-economic feasibility for location of fishing harbour sites and farms/ sites for coastal aquaculture.
Problems and Prospects
The development of pisciculture is not free from problems. Apart from the poverty of fishermen, shortage of financial resources, lack of modern facilities, its environmental, economic and social aspects are no less important.
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There is increasing danger of coastal water pollution and loss of fertile rice lands due to shrimp farming. The involvement of big industrial houses in this sector (leasing out of Chilka Lake to Birlas for prawn culture) may bring many fishermen to the level of starvation and is a matter of serious concern.
Hence, there is a need for proper survey of inland and marine fishing resources and formulation of an exhaustive and clear cut fish development policy including suitable changes in existing land laws.