Latest news with #CMFRI
Hans India
3 hours ago
- General
- Hans India
Nationwide validation of marine fishing villages underway
New Delhi/ Mangaluru: India has begun a comprehensive georeferencing and validation of marine fishing villages across its coastline as part of the preparatory phase for the 5th Marine Fisheries Census (MFC-2025). The initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, is being implemented by the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) as the nodal agency. Conducted under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, the exercise aims to establish an accurate frame of marine fishing villages in 13 coastal States and Union Territories. Using VyAS-NAV, a custom mobile app developed by CMFRI, 108 officials from CMFRI and the Fishery Survey of India will visit over 3,500 marine villages over the next two weeks to collect real-time, geo-referenced data. 'This groundwork is critical to ensure a reliable framework for the upcoming household enumeration,' said Neetu Kumari Prasad, IAS, Joint Secretary in the Department of Fisheries. The full census, scheduled for November–December 2025, will cover around 1.2 million fisher households. The validation teams, working in collaboration with state fisheries departments, will assess each village's dependence on marine fishing, estimate household counts, and identify local enumerators for the next phase. Dr. Grinson George, Director of CMFRI, said the initiative will enable policy makers to address infrastructure gaps and socio-economic challenges, promoting sustainable development of India's marine fishing sector.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
CMFRI's seed production technology wins national acclaim
Kochi: Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has achieved national acclaim for its innovative seed production technology for Giant trevally. It has been recognized as one of the top five fisheries innovations in the country by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The achievement highlights the technology's significance in sustainable mariculture practices. CMFRI director Grinson George stated, "The technology will boost the production of this commercially important fish, contributing to the nation's seafood security and blue economy". Giant trevally's characteristics, including swift growth and adaptability, position it as an excellent choice for mariculture. The species thrives in diverse marine and estuarine settings, such as cages, pens and coastal ponds. Its superior growth rate compared to pompanos, combined with its tolerance to varying salinity and water conditions, provides farmers with enhanced operational flexibility. The market value of this popular marine fish ranges from Rs 400 - 700/ kg. The development process at CMFRI encountered substantial obstacles, particularly due to the species' natural habitat preferences and complex reproduction patterns. The successful technological breakthrough was achieved by a team of scientists including Ambarish P Gop, M Sakthivel and B Santhosh at CMFRI's Vizhinjam regional centre. Following CMFRI's established protocol utilizing pellet feeds, the fish attains a marketable weight of 500g within five months, progressing to approximately 1kg after eight months of cultivation.
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
CMFRI to carry out marine fishing village validation
Mangaluru: As a preparatory step for the Fifth Marine Fisheries Census (MFC-2025), the department of fisheries (DoF), ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying, govt of India, launched a nationwide validation and georeferencing of marine fishing villages through ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI). The Mangalore Regional Centre of ICAR-CMFRI will carry out the process for the coastal districts of Karnataka. This census is undertaken under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), with CMFRI serving as the nodal agency for implementation across India. The exercise aims to establish an accurate and updated frame of marine fishing villages across India's coastline and island territories, laying the foundation for household-level enumeration scheduled later in the year. Over the next two weeks, 108 officials from CMFRI and the Fishery Survey of India (FSI) will visit every marine fishing village to verify its status, delineate boundaries, and compile an updated village frame. This exercise will be conducted using VyASNAV (Village-Jetty Appraisal Navigator), a custom-built mobile application developed by CMFRI to enable real-time, geo-referenced data collection. This foundational activity precedes the comprehensive household enumeration scheduled for Nov–Dec 2025, which will cover approximately 1.2 million fisher households across 3,500 villages in 13 coastal states and UTs. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo "An accurate and updated frame of marine fishing villages is essential to ensure the success of the household-level enumeration," said Neetu Kumari Prasad, joint secretary, department of fisheries. In collaboration with state fisheries departments and local administrative bodies, census teams will assess each village's dependence on marine fishing and allied activities, estimate the number of marine fisher households, and geotag village boundaries. The data will feed into a GIS-enabled MFC dashboard, supported by a robust online backup system and a two-tier supervision framework at district and state levels to ensure data integrity. "The census will generate granular data on socio-economic conditions, livelihood dependencies, and infrastructure gaps, enabling the govt to design targeted interventions for sustainable development of marine fishing communities," added Neetu Kumari Prasad. Grinson George, director of CMFRI, noted that the teams will also identify and shortlist local community members to be trained as enumerators for the household phase.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Science
- The Hindu
Recognition for CMFRI
The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute's (CMFRI) seed production technology for giant trevally (Vatta) has been selected among the country's top five innovations in fisheries by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), according to the Institute. The technology was officially released by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during the 97th Foundation Day celebrations of ICAR in New Delhi, said a communication issued here. CMFRI director Grinson George hoped that the technology would significantly boost the production of the commercially important fish.
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Reporting up? Dolphin carcasses keep washing up on state's shores
Kochi: Is the Kerala coast turning into a graveyard for dolphins? The number of dolphin carcasses washing ashore in the state is on the rise — 18 were recorded last year, up from 12 in 2023. This year, around four carcasses have been reported so far, including two in Thrissur, in which forest officials suspect the sinking of a cargo vessel carrying hazardous material off the Alappuzha coast may have played a role. Of the 18 dolphins found last year, nine were males and two females, while the gender of the rest could not be identified due to decomposition. Notably, six strandings were reported in Aug alone. Seven of last year's carcasses were recovered in the Kozhikode forest territorial division. The carcasses found along the Kerala coast are of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, a species listed under Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Experts in marine mammal research attribute the rising trend to increased awareness about reporting of strandings, intensive fishing activities, underwater noise pollution from the growing number of vessels and interactions between dolphins and vessels. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy the Dip: Top 5 Dividend Stocks with Growth Potential Seeking Alpha Read More Undo "Dolphins used to drift ashore in the region earlier also, but their reporting was comparatively less. Marine mammals die in sea for various reasons: vessel strikes, entanglement as bycatch, old age, disease and pollution. After death, the carcass either sinks or drifts ashore. With coastal communities now more aware of these species and their significance, almost all strandings are being reported," said R Ratheesh Kumar, a senior scientist with the marine biodiversity and environment management division of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI). He said the stranding of the marine mammal carcass was observed to be comparatively high on our coast during the monsoon. "This is due to the drifting of carcasses mostly to the coastal region as the monsoon winds are towards the coast. Also, the rough seas during the monsoon disrupt dolphins, which rely on sound for communication, navigation and hunting, increasing the chances of them being accidentally struck by vessels," he said. Fishermen are well aware that killing dolphins is a serious offence. "They don't target dolphins, but these mammals sometimes get caught in fishing nets. Dolphins, which breathe through lungs, need to come to the sea surface every 8 to 12 minutes to breathe. When they get stuck in nets, they cannot surface to breathe, which can lead to death. The carcasses that do not sink may eventually wash ashore," he said. Veterinary officials conduct autopsies on these carcasses to determine the cause of death. Chief wildlife warden Pramod G Krishnan, who was part of the Project Dolphin launched by the Union govt in 2020, said a land-based model of conservation with a species-centric approach is not suitable for marine species. "We need a marine conservation template, keeping in mind the fishermen community, their livelihood and conservation needs. For dolphins to survive, we need to ensure that the livelihood requirements of people are met. We need to involve scientific institutions as well," he said.
