Mangalore: Enormous Potential for Decorative Fishes in State - Nagaraj Shetty

Pics: Prajwal Ukkuda
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Aug 10: Coastal Development Authority chairman and former minister B Nagaraja Shetty called upon the concerned, to explore the rich potential in the sector of marketing of decorative varieties of fish has, in the state. He was speaking after inaugurating the decorative fish marketing outlet located in the air-conditioned fish marketing stall opened at Chilimbi in the city by Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation on Sunday August 9.

He noted that annually, Bangalore city alone accounts for Rs 300 crore turn over in decorative fishes. The sector has the potential to expand the present turn over to about Rs 2,000 crore in the state as a whole, if the concerned utilize the opportunities properly, he opined.

"Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation should think in terms of opening not less than a thousand fish outlets all over the state within the next three years. This will provide employment to a number of unemployed youths. The BJP government is taking up and achieving what other governments could not, in the last 62 years," he said.

The stall was inaugurated by city mayor M Shanakar Bhat. He lamented that Thailand, a small country, is leading in fishing while India, with its vast coastline, is lagging behind in this sector. He wanted the fishing sector to imbibe latest technologies and compete with other countries.

MLA N Yogish Bhat inaugurated the sale of decorative fish varieties. He opined that the public sector enterprises that are running under loss, can reverse their fortunes, if they are managed and skillfully run. He wanted the Corporation to branch out its activities to selling food items prepared out of fish.  Bhat added, that the government has been apprised of the need to build a third jetty at the Bunder area in the city, construction of break water and conducting dredging at an early date.

Chairman of the Corporation Ramachandar Bykampady said that the Corporation intends to open 100 fish stalls all over the state before the end of this year and that preparations are already under way for opening 50 of them shortly. The Corporation will shortly be opening a fish restaurant and kiosk to sell fish in the city. A fish market would be developed in Udupi at a cost of two crore rupees, in association with the municipality there, he divulged.

Retired principal of Fisheries College here, Dr H P C Shetty, and National Fishermen’s Forum secretary Vasudev Boloor were present. Executive director of the Corporation V K Shetty welcomed.