Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 29 March 2025
The Department of Fisheries, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in collaboration with the National Institute of Fisheries Post Harvest Technology and Training (NIFPHATT), Cochin, organized a workshop on ‘Tuna Value Addition’ on March 28, 2025. Sponsored by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad, the event was conducted at the conference hall of the Department of Industries as part of the Government of India’s ‘Tuna Cluster Development in A&N Islands’ initiative. Around 75 stakeholders, including fishermen, fisheries cooperatives, self-help group (SHG) members, and beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), participated in the workshop.
Ms. Jyoti Kumari, IAS, Secretary (Fisheries), graced the inaugural session as the chief guest. In her address, she commended the Department of Fisheries for facilitating the involvement of NIFPHATT, Cochin—India’s leading institute in fisheries post-harvest technology—for conducting this specialized workshop in the Islands. She expressed confidence that the workshop’s outcomes would significantly contribute to the development of the Tuna Cluster in A&N Islands. Encouraging the participants to engage actively in the sessions, she urged them to adopt the acquired skills in their fishing and post-harvest practices.
During the event, Secretary (Fisheries) released a booklet prepared by the Department of Fisheries titled ‘Potential and Possibilities of Tuna Value Addition in A&N Islands’.
Dr. Eaknath B. Chakurkar, Director, ICAR-CIARI, Sri Vijaya Puram, assured full support from the Fisheries Science Division of ICAR-CIARI in developing a comprehensive plan for Tuna Cluster Development in the region.
Earlier, Ms. Jagtap Kalyani Rajendra, Director of Fisheries, welcomed the gathering and highlighted the department’s training and extension activities, along with recent initiatives aimed at upgrading skills in tuna fishing and post-harvest utilization. Mr. B. Balanayak, Mechanical Marine Engineer, Fishery Survey of India, and Mr. S. U. Maheshwar Rao, Governing Body Member of NFDB, also addressed the audience. The inaugural session concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Dr. K. Gopal, Joint Director.
The workshop featured technical and practical sessions by industry experts, including Mr. Chittaranjan Raul, Scientist, ICAR-CIARI; Dr. C. Babu, Fisheries Scientist, FSI; Mr. K. Kamalraj, Processing Technologist; Dr. Nithin C. T., PQAS, NIFPHATT, Kochi; and Mr. Praphul Dev D., Assistant Manager, NABARD. These sessions covered various aspects of tuna fishing, post-harvest management, value addition, marketing, and export.
An interactive session with entrepreneurs and SHG members was also conducted to assess stakeholders’ requirements for improving tuna fishing and value addition in the Islands. Additionally, an exhibition stall was set up to showcase various fish value-added products developed by NIFPHATT, Cochin, with the aim of familiarizing participants with innovative seafood products.
The workshop concluded on a positive note, with participants expressing enthusiasm for adopting new techniques and contributing to the growth of the tuna value addition sector in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. (Story Based on PR)