The partnership will support better fishing practices, besides developing market linkages and measures to be taken to ensure sustained, quality seafood exports, reports TheHinduBusinessLine.
An MoU in this regard has been signed between MPEDA and Tata Trusts in Bengaluru in the presence of Rita Teaotia, Secretary (Commerce), to undertake collaborative efforts and activities to bring better living conditions to the rural communities whose livelihoods are linked to fisheries and aquaculture.
Through this MoU, MPEDA and Tata Trusts will strive to address several key issues facing the fisheries sector including low volume of catch, low productivity in aquaculture and depletion of fishery. It will also help resolve issues surrounding low price realisation due to several layers of intermediaries, and disconnect to better access to markets as well as a lack of safe, hygienic conditions.
The MoU aims at addressing these problems by looking at a shift to culture fisheries, from the predominant capture fisheries, through the development of the best quality of fish broodstock for promoting seafood exports, and then linking this produce to export markets.
Another focus area of the MoU would be on arriving at ways of improving the fisheries infrastructure, with a strong focus on hygiene, thereby providing an ecosystem necessary for exports.
Together, MPEDA and the Tata Trusts will strive to improve the fisheries development plans for Andhra Pradesh in the first phase and then expand to other states after mutual consultation.
