New Delhi, Jan 27 (IANS) Union Department of Fisheries has approved the proposal of the Andaman & Nicobar Administration for the development of a smart and integrated fishing harbour at Mayabunder with an investment of Rs 199.24 crore, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday.
The smart and integrated fishing harbour, developed in line with the Blue Port Initiative, will incorporate safe landing and berthing facilities, supported by the latest technology and IoT-enabled systems and will be set up with 100 per cent Central financial assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
The harbour integrates sustainable fisheries management, enhanced fish-handling capacity, improved operational safety, energy-efficient systems, and digital traceability.
It is expected to generate employment, enhance stakeholder incomes, strengthen livelihoods, and contribute to combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing through environmentally friendly approaches, thereby supporting India’s progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the statement said.
The development of the smart and integrated fishing harbour will create safe landing and berthing facilities for 430 fishing vessels and cater to an annual fish landing of 9,900 tonnes. The project is expected to generate employment opportunities across the fisheries value chain and significantly benefit the fisheries sector.
The Andaman & Nicobar Islands possess a vast marine resource base with 6 lakh sq. km of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and an estimated 60,000 MT of tuna and tuna‑like species, including 24,000 MT of Yellowfin and 2,000 MT of Skipjack tuna.
To catalyse investment and value chain development, the Department of Fisheries organised an Investors Meet on “Investment Opportunities in Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector of Andaman & Nicobar Islands” on 14 November 2024 at Swaraj Dweep.
Under PMMSY, the Department has also notified a tuna cluster in the Islands to strengthen infrastructure, training, investor partnerships, and global competitiveness.
India’s fisheries sector has experienced robust growth, supported by public investments of over Rs 39,000 crore in production, infrastructure, technology, fisher welfare and post-harvest value chains.
Fish production has more than doubled over the past decade, from 96 lakh tonnes in 2013-14 to around 197.75 lakh tonnes in 2024-25. Seafood exports have also doubled in value, reaching Rs 62,408 crore, with over 350 product varieties exported to nearly 130 countries.
The approval of the Mayabunder Smart and Integrated Fishing Harbour is a strategic intervention to unlock the fisheries potential of the Islands and strengthen India’s pathway towards achieving one lakh crore seafood exports by 2030–31, the statement added.
–IANS
sps/dan
