NETFISH to improve quality

Speaking after launching the Network for Fish Quality Management and Sustainable Fishing (NETFISH), an initiative of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), here on Monday, Mr. Ramesh said thrust would be given to Orissa, Gujarat and Maharashtra which had vast potential for fisheries development.

Traditionally, he pointed out, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh dominated the fisheries scene. Now, Orissa was in for major investment in the sector. Gujarat too had shown strong initiative. In terms of product diversification, he said, a shift of focus from shrimp to tuna was necessary. As of now, shrimp constituted more than half of the value of marine exports, but the country was yet to exploit the huge global market for tuna. An international consultant on tuna had just joined the MPEDA to help boost its export, he said.

Mr. Ramesh said that the government was now encouraging organic aquaculture with the help of a Swiss government project. He pointed out that NETFISH was an important initiative to step up quality and sustainability of marine products. To compete on the international market, quality of exported fish was very important.