Parshottam Rupala, the Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, formally inaugurated the refurbished Marine Museum located at the Visakhapatnam Base of the Fishery Survey of India (FSI) on Monday. This renovated museum houses a collection of roughly 250 specimens, all meticulously displayed within a climate-controlled hall. An interesting development is that FSI has embarked on the task of assigning QR codes to each exhibit, with the entire project slated for completion in approximately one month.
During the inauguration ceremony, Mr. Parshottam, accompanied by Rajya Sabha Member G.V.L. Narasimha Rao, took a tour of the exhibits, showing great interest in the specimens on display. FSI’s Director General, R. Jeyabaskaran, provided insights into the significance of the various fish species showcased.
Following this, Minister Parshottam engaged with representatives from the aquaculture and poultry sectors, underscoring the government’s unwavering commitment to addressing industry challenges and stimulating fish production, consumption, and exports.
Pavan Kumar, President of the Seafood Exporters Association, expressed concerns about export-related hurdles faced by Andhra Pradesh, largely due to the absence of government incentives, which is impeding the state’s competitiveness in the global market. He advocated for the need to establish more Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to counter practices like the dumping of seafood by countries such as Ecuador. Additionally, he put forth suggestions for shrimp-specific disease surveillance, the development of disease-resistant broodstock by research institutions, and the promotion of fish consumption through public awareness campaigns.
Minister Parshottam proposed that industry stakeholders could effectively promote the health benefits of fish consumption through targeted campaigns, drawing parallels to the successful promotion of dairy products by ‘Amul.’
Srinath, a representative of the AP Chambers, requested the establishment of the National Fisheries Development Board in Andhra Pradesh, as it had relocated to Telangana following the state’s bifurcation. The Minister assured that the proposal would be given due consideration once it was officially submitted by the State government.
