Fisheries varsity sets up Chair to archive traditional knowhow

For the first time in the country, the scientific community and fisherfolk have come together to share traditional knowledge and latest scientific advancements.

A Chair has been set up at the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) for socio-economic empowerment of fisherfolk and archiving traditional knowledge of fishermen.

The envisaged outlay for research and extension under the Chair is Rs 22.44 crore during the 12th Plan period.

M.S. Raju, Director, School of Management and Entrepreneurship, KUFOS, said that the objective of the Chair is to facilitate comprehensive research and documentation for facilitating formulation of better fisheries management policies ensuring the sustainable development of the fisheries sector and empowerment of the fishing community.

The research, extension and empowerment programmes which will be undertaken include a Centre for indigenous knowledge of traditional fisher-folk; Livelihood Security and Development issues; Fishereis database centre.

The School of Management and Entrepreneurship proposed to undertake research projects in priority areas such as archiving indigenous knowledge of fisher-folk, fisheries production and marketing, impact assessment of selected fisheries development programmes, management and cooperative management, he said.

It is pointed out the fishing community are still marginalised and remain outside the development horizon in spite of various welfare schemes. The reasons for these should be unravelled in order to bring them back into the development stream.

The proposed research and extension programmes will help in providing the required information for planning, policy making and proper administration, he said.

In FY 2012-13, the outlay for fisheries sector was Rs 142 crore, which is 1.01 per cent of the state annual plan. During the previous year, it was Rs 114.66 crore. The fishermen represent 3.5 per cent of the state population and contribute 1.26 per cent of the State GDP.

Though the state per capita income is Rs 80,366, it is only about Rs 30,182 for fishermen. Even though they form an important community, they remain neglected in spite of higher socio economic progress in the State.

The phenomenon of mechanisation, which was widely introduced in the mid 60’s, had led to the gradual marginalisation of the traditional fishermen whose small vessels were unable to compete with mechanised trawlers and their traditional skills become redundant.

The large scale mechanisation and commercialisation of the sector have not only hampered their livelihood security but destroyed their traditional economy in the village. This has caused anger and discontent among the fisher-folk.

>sajeevkumar.v@thehindu.co.in

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