It was also decided to extend the moratorium on enhancement of production capacity by existing fishmeal units
MPEDA to impose moratorium on new fishmeal plants
INDIA
Wednesday, October 23, 2019, 17:30 (GMT + 9)
In its efforts to curb over exploitation of food fish resources, the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) has decided to come out with a moratorium on the registration of new fishmeal and fish oil units with effect from January 1, 2020.
It was also decided to extend the moratorium on enhancement of production capacity by existing fishmeal units.
Photo: stockfile
Fishmeal and fish oil are the major ingredients for aquatic feed manufacturing and aquaculture utilises about 45 per cent of global fishmeal production.
K S Srinivas, Chairman, MPEDA told BusinessLine that the unabated juvenile fishing especially for fismeal and fish oil production has become a major concern. This has resulted in stagnating catches of commercially important species and risk the depletion of the food fish resources from the marine capture sector. It has also posed a danger to the livelihood of fishermen and the availability of human protein source from sea catch.
“Hence, it has become the need of the hour to take effective measures towards sustainable development of fisheries and to curtail activities that directly or indirectly promote over exploitation of marine fishery resources,” he said.
Senior officials in MPEDA pointed out that increased demand for aquaculture feed mills with the exponential increase in Vannamei shrimp production has propelled mushrooming of fishmeal and fish oil factories in India over a decade.
Photo: stockfile
The paucity of sea catch in required sizes and quantities also affected the economic viability of the processing units and handling centres that primarily depend on marine fishery resources. The stakeholders and researchers across the seafood sector have voiced their concern over the non judicious exploitation of food fishes for aqua feed, the officials added.
There are about 56 fishmeal industrial units in Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and the units together have a turnover of INR1750 crore (USD 247 million) with an annual production of 250.000 tonnes, industry sources said.
Author: V Sajeev Kumar /The Hindu
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