Minister Mankal S. Vaidya announces plans for Rs 100 crore Seafood Park at Byndoor

Minister Mankal S. Vaidya announces plans for Rs 100 crore Seafood Park at Byndoor

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, July 28, 2024: Minister of Fisheries, Ports, and Inland Water Transport, Mankal S. Vaidya, announced plans to establish a seafood park in Byndoor with an investment of Rs 100 crore. He made this announcement during the inauguration of the National Fish Farmers Day and a workshop titled "Strategies for Bridging the Yield Gap in Fisheries and Aquaculture – BYGFISH 2.0." The event was organized by the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal, and Fisheries Sciences University (KVAFSU) in Bidar, along with the College of Fisheries Mangalore and the fisheries department.

Mr. Vaidya explained that the seafood park in Byndoor will process the fish catch from the region for both export and domestic use. This initiative aims to increase the income of local fishermen. He also announced plans to build a state-of-the-art fish market complex in Hebbal, Bengaluru, at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore. The fish market will be constructed on three acres of land owned by the Department of Animal Husbandry, and an office complex costing Rs 20 crore will also be built there.

Additionally, a training center will be established at Manki in Uttara Kannada. To promote inland fishing, a fish seed farm and rearing center will be developed at Almatti with an investment of Rs 25 crore, alongside a skill development center costing Rs 10 crore.

Regarding the demand for a fisheries university, Mr. Vaidya stated that the government plans to convert the College of Fisheries Mangalore into an autonomous university over time. Since Karnataka currently has only one Fisheries College, establishing a full-fledged university is challenging. However, the development of skill development centers and training centers throughout the state is intended to support this goal.

Mr. Vaidya also highlighted that the government has increased the subsidized diesel quota for deep-sea fishers from 1.5 lakh litres to 2 lakh litres per season, with an expenditure of Rs 285 crore for this subsidy. Measures are being implemented to ensure a steady supply of kerosene to traditional fishers.

KVAFSU Vice-Chancellor K.C. Veeranna mentioned that the central government has set a target to produce 22 million metric tonnes of fish by 2025 through various schemes. He urged the minister to secure approval from the finance department to fill vacant positions at the College of Fisheries. During the event, the minister distributed benefits from various schemes to fishermen.

MLAs D. Vedavyas Kamath, Bharath Shetty and other dignitaries presided over the event.