Training for fisheries officials from northeast begins in Vizag

A five-day training programme, being organised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research– Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (ICAR-CIFT), Visakhapatnam Research Centre, began here on Monday (January 6).

Titled ‘Enhancing the knowledge practices on fishing technology, fish processing and food safety for fishery officials of the NEH [North Eastern Hill] region’, it is the first training programme of its kind. Officials from the departments of fisheries of all the northeastern states have been invited to the institute for an in-depth and hands-on learning experience in fish harvesting and post-harvest operations.

Nineteen officials, representing the departments of fisheries from all the northeastern states (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim) are participating in the programme, which includes theory and practical sessions on fish harvesting and post-harvesting operations focusing on NEH region and food safety aspects focussing on the detection of formalin adulteration and pathogens.

U. Sreedhar, scientist-in-charge, ICAR-CIFT Visakhapatnam Research Centre, welcomed the participants and B. Madhusudana Rao, principal scientist, presented an overview of the training programme.

G. Pawan Kumar, national president of Seafood Exports Association of India and guest of honour at the event, opined that there is ample scope for introducing shrimp aquaculture in the northeast and cited the success of such business in landlocked states such as Punjab and Haryana. He congratulated ICAR-CIFT for its initiative to develop harvest and post-harvest fishery in the NEH region.

Presiding over the function, George Ninan, director of ICAR-CIFT, spoke at length about the promising fish processing technologies such as smoking kiln for hygienic and safe production of smoked fish. He also requested the participants to explore the possibilities for export of fermented fish products to South East Asian countries.

A manual on fish harvest and post-harvest practices for the northeast was also released.

Officials representing ICAR-CMFRI, Fisheries Survey of India (FSI), CIFNET, NIFPHET, MPEDA, GITAM Deemed to be University and Andhra University attended the inaugural session.

Jesmi Debbarma, senior scientist and co-ordinator, of the training programme proposed a vote of thanks.