Mayabunder, Oct. 13: For inspection of the proposed site for construction of Deep Sea Fishing Harbour at Mayabunder, North and Middle Andaman, Shri G. Sudhakar, Secretary (Fisheries), A&N Administration alongwith Dr. K.Gopal, Joint Director (Fisheries) visited Mayabunder from Oct. 8 to 10, 2022. During the visit, the Secretary (Fisheries) held meeting with PRIs and interacted with the fisher community at Mayabunder, Karamatang and Tugapur.
On 8th October, the Secretary (Fisheries) visited the proposed site of Deep Sea Fishing Harbour and its adjacent site for the establishment of Sea Food Cluster and directed the Assistant Director of Fisheries (N&M) to conduct a preliminary survey alongwith the Revenue staff to identify the area and position of the land and to take suitable action for allotment of the land in favour of the Department of Fisheries.
The Secretary (Fisheries) also attended the interactive meetings in APWD Guest House, Mayabunder, Karmatang Village and Fish Landing Centre, Pokadera. During interaction with the fishers, the Secretary (Fisheries) motivated and urged the fishermen to avail the benefits of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) under which subsidy is extended to various components including Ice Plants, Cold Storages, Deep Sea Fishing Vessels, Insulated and Refrigerated Trucks etc.
During the meeting, the fishermen put forth their demands pertaining to extension of Jetty from 50 to 80 meters, extension of Fish Landing Centre, Pokadera, installation of HDPE Jetty near the fishing village, Mayabunder, supply of Essential Fishery Requisites by the Department, supply of fencing material to protect the freshwater fishes from flood and other climatic disaster, compensation against loss of fishing crop due to flood etc. The Karen fishermen of Karmatang village have shown interest towards Installation of Ice Plants. The Secretary (Fisheries) advised them to install 2 MT Ice Plant by availing subsidy under PMMSY.
The Secretary (Fisheries) assured the fisher community to look into their issues and directed the Assistant Director of Fisheries of the Zone to conduct camps and motivate unemployed youth in availing the benefits of PMMSY.
In a meeting held at Zilla Parishad, Mayabunder, the Adhyaksha, Zilla Parishad requested to empower Zilla Parishad in selection of beneficiaries under the UT Plan Scheme. The Pradhan, Rampur demanded compensation for fishermen during lean and cyclonic period. The Secretary (Fisheries) has assured the PRIs to look into the matter and suggested identification of suitable site for culture of mud crab in Pokadera and also to identify best unemployed youth of the village, so as to provide them skill development training in the field of aquaculture like shrimp and prawn farming, sea bass farming, mud crab fattening etc.