380/2022-2023

Aizawl, the 27th March 2023: Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati had a review meeting with the state’s Fisheries Department officials at the Raj Bhavan today, on the fish production in the state and how initiatives are made in the fishery sector along the line of the Blue Economy.

In this review meeting, the Governor was apprised of the state’s own initiatives in an attempt to increase fish production and the implementations in coping with the Blue Economy initiatives through PowerPoint presentations. The Fisheries Department was represented by Pu Laldawngliana, Secretary, Pu F. Vanlallawma, Director and the senior officials.

After the presentations, Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati discussed with the Fisheries Department officials on the various strategies implemented to increase fish production for consumption within the state. Governor suggested that achieving self-sufficiency in fish production for consumption within the state would be not only the first step but also a good start for the state in contributing to the Blue Economy initiatives. He advised the Fisheries Department to try harder to create awareness among the potential fish farmers of how profitable it is to take up fish farming activities. He also urged the Fisheries Department to explore the possibilities of finding funds for startups from the banking sectors.

He urged the Fisheries Department to develop a sound mechanism to close the gap between the quantity of fish demand and the production within the state within 3 to 4 years. He also advised increasing the installations of ice plants for storage, insulated vehicles for transportation and the required market survey in anticipation of the increase in fish production.

Through PowerPoint Presentations, the Fisheries Department officials gave presentations on the various implementations in the Fishery sector using the funding from the CSS - PMMSY, RKVY, Article 275(1) for STs, the SASCI and the state’s flagship program – SEDP.

The State is estimated to have a potential area of 24,000 hectares available to be developed for fish culture. So far, only around 22.10 % of the potential area (i.e 5527.075 hectares) has been developed for fish culture. At present 16,588 nos. of families are estimated to be involved in the culture sector. Around 6283 families are estimated to be directly and indirectly dependent on Capture fisheries as their primary source of income. Based on the projected population for 2021 and the desired level of per capita consumption of 11kg, the total annual fish requirement of the State is estimated to be 12450 MT. The total fish production during 2022 from both the culture and capture sectors is estimated as 4575.05 MT which is about 38.35% of the total requirement. To supplement the shortage of fish flesh around 3000 Tonnes of fish is estimated to be imported from other states through private entrepreneurs in 2022.