New Delhi, Jan 28 (PTI) The Fisheries Ministry on Wednesday approved a Rs 199.24-crore smart and integrated fishing harbour at Mayabunder in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with 100 per cent central funding under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
Aligned with the Blue Port Initiative, the harbour will feature safe landing and berthing facilities for 430 fishing vessels and handle an annual fish landing capacity of 9,900 tonnes. It will be equipped with IoT-enabled systems and the latest technology to support operations.
The project is expected to generate employment across the fisheries value chain while integrating sustainable fisheries management, enhanced fish-handling capacity, improved operational safety, energy-efficient systems and digital traceability.
“It is expected to strengthen livelihoods and contribute to combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing through environmentally friendly approaches, thereby supporting India’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals,” the ministry said in a statement.
Tapping tuna potential ————————- The Andaman and Nicobar Islands possess a vast marine resource base with 6 lakh sq km of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and an estimated 60,000 MT of tuna and tuna-like species, including 24,000 MT of Yellowfin and 2,000 MT of Skipjack tuna.
To catalyse investment, the Fisheries Ministry organised an Investors Meet on November 14, 2024, at Swaraj Dweep under Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh.
The event drew investors specialising in tuna fishing technologies, seaweed and allied infrastructure.
The department has also notified a tuna cluster in the islands under PMMSY to strengthen infrastructure, training, investor partnerships and global competitiveness.
Doubling fish production ————————— India’s fisheries sector has witnessed robust growth, backed by public investments exceeding Rs 39,000 crore in production, infrastructure, technology, fisher welfare and post-harvest value chains.
Fish production has more than doubled over the past decade, from 96 lakh tonnes in 2013-14 to around 197.75 lakh tonnes in 2024-25. Seafood exports have also doubled in value, reaching Rs 62,408 crore, with over 350 product varieties exported to nearly 130 countries.
The ministry described the Mayabunder harbour approval as a “strategic intervention” to unlock the fisheries potential of the islands and strengthen India’s pathway towards achieving Rs 1 lakh crore in seafood exports by 2030-31. PTI LUX BAL BAL
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