Dakshina Kannada has no area suitable for seaweed cultivation, Karnataka tells Union government

Of the 24,000 hectares identified as suitable for seaweed farming along the Indian coast, most of the areas in Karnataka fall under Uttara Kannada.

The Karnataka government has informed the Union government that Dakshina Kannada has no area suitable for seaweed cultivation.

Replying to an unstarred question by Captain Brijesh Chowta, Dakshina Kannada MP in Lok Sabha on December 17, the Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh said that according to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) 1,579 hectares in Karnataka covering 14 locations have been identified for seaweed farming.

“...Government of Karnataka has informed that most of the area identified by ICAR for seaweed cultivation are in Uttara Kannada and no such area are suitable for seaweed cultivation in Dakshina Kannada...,” the minister said.

He said that the ICAR has identified a total of 24,000 hectares as suitable area for seaweed farming along the Indian coast.

Seaweed projects green-lighted

The minister said that the Union Department of Fisheries, under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) has approved various seaweed projects consisting of seaweed cultivation through rafts, monoline, establishment of seaweed aquapark, seaweed banks and Research & Development projects of various State/Union Territories and research institutes. This also includes 10,000 seaweed rafts and 21,000 monoline/tube nets approved for seaweed cultivation in Karnataka.

He said that during last four years (2020-21 to 2023-24) and current financial year (2024-25) under PMMSY, the Union Department of Fisheries has accorded approval to the fisheries developmental proposals of Government of Karnataka amounting to ₹ 1,056.34 crore.

Promotion of marine and inland fisheries activities

The activities approved under PMMSY inter alia included promotion of marine and inland fisheries activities for welfare of fishers and fish farmers in Karnataka, including Dakshina Kannada, namely assistance for acquisition of deep sea fishing vessels, upgradation of existing fishing vessels for export competency, safety kits to fishers, livelihood and nutritional support to fishers during fish ban, communication devices onboard the fishing vessels and installation of artificial reefs along the coast towards conservation.

In addition, activities towards promotion of aquaculture through establishment of hatcheries, area expansion for aquaculture, brackishwater aquaculture, ornamental fish rearing units, seaweed cultivation, bivalve cultivation, cage culture in reservoirs, Re-circulatory Aquaculture System (RAS) & biofloc culture are also approved.

Under PMMSY, interventions are aimed at optimal harnessing of unrealised potential areas including seaweed cultivation, the minister said.

No fisheries university in Mangaluru

To another question by the MP, the minister said that Government of Karnataka has informed that at present there is no proposal for establishing a separate fisheries university in Mangaluru before the State government.

Published - December 17, 2024 06:16 pm IST