Question : Deep Sea Fishing

(a) whether the Government has any proposal to provide specially built large vessels for fishermen of Tamil Nadu for deep sea fishing;
(b) if so, whether any funds have been earmarked by the Government to meet the project and the time by which these deep sea fishing vessels will be handed over to fishermen of Tamil Nadu, the details thereof;
(c) whether any funds/permissions to build such vessels have been sanctioned by the Government to other States under similar project during the last three years;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the expected increase in fish catch and revenue generation after the use of these large vessels by fishermen?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE & FARMER’s WELFARE:
(SMT. KRISHNA RAJ)

(a) & (b) A sub component on ‘Assistance for Deep Sea Fishing’ has been introduced under the Central Plan Scheme on ‘Blue Revolution: Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries’ to provide Deep Sea Fishing Vessels to the traditional fishermen, their societies, associations, Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Fishers Producer Organizations (FPOs) for deep sea fishing. Under the Central Plan Scheme, a sum of Rs.300 crore has been released to the Government of Tamil Nadu during 2017-18 for procurement of Tuna Long Liners for traditional fishers and for construction of a fish landing centre at Kunthakal in Rameshwaram District of Tamil Nadu.
(c ) & (d): Central Financial Assistance under the sub component on ‘Assistance for Deep Sea Fishing’ has also been released to the Government of Andhra Pradesh (Rs.259.20 Lakh) and Government of Gujarat (Rs. 211.20 Lakh).
(e) As per the ‘Report of the Working Group for Revalidating the Potential of Fishery Resources in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone’ (2011), the potential yield of oceanic resources is estimated at 2,16,500 tonnes, which shall be targeted by the Deep Sea Fishing Vessels introduced under the sub component on ‘Assistance for Deep Sea Fishing’.
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