Seafood News - Industry Events - Seafood Market

Times of India    11/04/2005 10:14:53

Suresh Chandra

Aquaculture as a profession involves the cultivation and propagation of a natural living product in water such as shrimp, fish, squid, cuttlefish and lobster, among others.

This includes marine products suitable for consumption as well as for industrial and medicinal purposes. India, with its 7,500 km long coastline, a large inland water system and rich natural resources, has good prospects of becoming a dominant supplier of seafood in the global market.

the opening up of the economy and liberalised industrial policy of the Indian government, the aquaculture industry is rapidly developing and providing employment to traditional fishermen as well as to those highly skilled in the production and breeding of fishery products.

The contemporary fisherman has come a long way from his ancient counterpart, who used the most rudimentary tools to catch fish. The commercial fishermen today not only have a choice in the range of technology and equipment that they can employ, but can carve a very lucrative career out of 'fishing'.

Commercial fishing can be of various types: For starters, there is a simple set up with small vessels, little or no mechanisation as in small, local and traditional fisheries. Then, there are large scale initiatives, which involve deep-sea vessels and sophisticated mechanised equipment.

The increased requirement and relatively easier breeding of certain varieties of fish and other seafood all over the world have led to the creation of sea-breeding farms in the shallow coastal areas of our country's eastern coast. Fishing by trawlers in high seas, preservation and marketing of sea products needs a variety of trained personnel.

Nature of work

Students of fishery work in the development of fish-breeding farms supervise fish research centres. Fish-biologists survey streams and lakes to determine the quantity of fish, prevent infection and water pollution. Fish preservation, freezing and canning is done at coastal and inland factories by trained experts. Domestic and export marketing, research and preservation of marine life is undertaken by fishery experts. The prawns and shrimp farming have started in a big way in the coastal areas, as an export-oriented industry, which has great prospects of development.

Employment

The Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) has initiated research projects through different research organisations and universities all over India. The objective is to improve the quality and quantity of fish production, which has created ample job opportunities in the field. Many state governments have provided substantial financial assistance to small entrepreneurs to promote fishing industry.

The post-graduates or PhDs in fisheries may work, as scientists or research officers who are involved in carrying out research for improving varieties of fish, improving fish output and evolving better technologies for their preservation. If you have an aptitude for teaching, you can take up teaching in any institute or university having a department of fishery education.

Fishery workers catch, breed and cultivate fish and other forms of aquatic life. They even prepare nets and other equipment, operate fishing vessels, clean, freeze and salt fish. They, then, deliver the fish caught to the wholesale buyers, markets and other organisations involved in exports business. Deep-sea fishery workers work as crew members of fishing vessels. Although fish breeding is a new industry in our country, it provides good job opportunities for research, teaching and management positions as well as entrepreneurship.

Where to study

Entry to four-year B Sc in Fishery Science is after 10 plus two with Biology group, while for M Sc and Ph D after completing B Sc. There are various short-term courses such as hatching management, fish culture, shark processing and fish processing and farming are available in various Institutes.

Institutes offering fishery science are:

* GB Pant University of Agriculture, Pant Nagar, Nainital * Gujarat Agriculture University, Banskantha * South Gujarat University, Surat * Osmania University, Hyderabad * Andhra University, Waltair * Nagarjun University, Guntur * Karnataka University, Dharwad * West Bengal University of Animal & fisheries sciences, Kolkata * University of Kerala, Trivandrum * Kerala Agriculture University, Trichur * T N Veterinary and Animal Science's University, Chennai * Goa University, Goa * Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai * Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Ratnagiri * University of Agriculture Sciences, Bangalore * Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Cochin