Latest news with #GrinsonGeorge
Hans India
22-07-2025
- General
- Hans India
Nationwide validation of marine fishing villages underway
New Delhi/ Mangaluru: India has begun a comprehensive georeferencing and validation of marine fishing villages across its coastline as part of the preparatory phase for the 5th Marine Fisheries Census (MFC-2025). The initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, is being implemented by the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) as the nodal agency. Conducted under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, the exercise aims to establish an accurate frame of marine fishing villages in 13 coastal States and Union Territories. Using VyAS-NAV, a custom mobile app developed by CMFRI, 108 officials from CMFRI and the Fishery Survey of India will visit over 3,500 marine villages over the next two weeks to collect real-time, geo-referenced data. 'This groundwork is critical to ensure a reliable framework for the upcoming household enumeration,' said Neetu Kumari Prasad, IAS, Joint Secretary in the Department of Fisheries. The full census, scheduled for November–December 2025, will cover around 1.2 million fisher households. The validation teams, working in collaboration with state fisheries departments, will assess each village's dependence on marine fishing, estimate household counts, and identify local enumerators for the next phase. Dr. Grinson George, Director of CMFRI, said the initiative will enable policy makers to address infrastructure gaps and socio-economic challenges, promoting sustainable development of India's marine fishing sector.
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
CMFRI's seed production technology wins national acclaim
Kochi: Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has achieved national acclaim for its innovative seed production technology for Giant trevally. It has been recognized as one of the top five fisheries innovations in the country by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The achievement highlights the technology's significance in sustainable mariculture practices. CMFRI director Grinson George stated, "The technology will boost the production of this commercially important fish, contributing to the nation's seafood security and blue economy". Giant trevally's characteristics, including swift growth and adaptability, position it as an excellent choice for mariculture. The species thrives in diverse marine and estuarine settings, such as cages, pens and coastal ponds. Its superior growth rate compared to pompanos, combined with its tolerance to varying salinity and water conditions, provides farmers with enhanced operational flexibility. The market value of this popular marine fish ranges from Rs 400 - 700/ kg. The development process at CMFRI encountered substantial obstacles, particularly due to the species' natural habitat preferences and complex reproduction patterns. The successful technological breakthrough was achieved by a team of scientists including Ambarish P Gop, M Sakthivel and B Santhosh at CMFRI's Vizhinjam regional centre. Following CMFRI's established protocol utilizing pellet feeds, the fish attains a marketable weight of 500g within five months, progressing to approximately 1kg after eight months of cultivation.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
CMFRI to carry out marine fishing village validation
Mangaluru: As a preparatory step for the Fifth Marine Fisheries Census (MFC-2025), the department of fisheries (DoF), ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying, govt of India, launched a nationwide validation and georeferencing of marine fishing villages through ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI). The Mangalore Regional Centre of ICAR-CMFRI will carry out the process for the coastal districts of Karnataka. This census is undertaken under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), with CMFRI serving as the nodal agency for implementation across India. The exercise aims to establish an accurate and updated frame of marine fishing villages across India's coastline and island territories, laying the foundation for household-level enumeration scheduled later in the year. Over the next two weeks, 108 officials from CMFRI and the Fishery Survey of India (FSI) will visit every marine fishing village to verify its status, delineate boundaries, and compile an updated village frame. This exercise will be conducted using VyASNAV (Village-Jetty Appraisal Navigator), a custom-built mobile application developed by CMFRI to enable real-time, geo-referenced data collection. This foundational activity precedes the comprehensive household enumeration scheduled for Nov–Dec 2025, which will cover approximately 1.2 million fisher households across 3,500 villages in 13 coastal states and UTs. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo "An accurate and updated frame of marine fishing villages is essential to ensure the success of the household-level enumeration," said Neetu Kumari Prasad, joint secretary, department of fisheries. In collaboration with state fisheries departments and local administrative bodies, census teams will assess each village's dependence on marine fishing and allied activities, estimate the number of marine fisher households, and geotag village boundaries. The data will feed into a GIS-enabled MFC dashboard, supported by a robust online backup system and a two-tier supervision framework at district and state levels to ensure data integrity. "The census will generate granular data on socio-economic conditions, livelihood dependencies, and infrastructure gaps, enabling the govt to design targeted interventions for sustainable development of marine fishing communities," added Neetu Kumari Prasad. Grinson George, director of CMFRI, noted that the teams will also identify and shortlist local community members to be trained as enumerators for the household phase.
The Hindu
18-07-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Recognition for CMFRI
The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute's (CMFRI) seed production technology for giant trevally (Vatta) has been selected among the country's top five innovations in fisheries by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), according to the Institute. The technology was officially released by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during the 97th Foundation Day celebrations of ICAR in New Delhi, said a communication issued here. CMFRI director Grinson George hoped that the technology would significantly boost the production of the commercially important fish.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Experts call for coordinated action to tackle illegal shark fishing and trade
Kochi: Marine experts have called for coordinated action and increased awareness to tackle illegal shark fishing and trade. An interactive workshop and panel discussion organized by Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) on Monday highlighted the importance of collaboration among various agencies to ensure conservation of protected species in the wake of India's recent expansion of the list of sharks and rays protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. Experts who attended the meeting felt the need to identify gaps in monitoring and enforcement. Habitat mapping, public awareness campaigns, gear modification, demarcation of conserved areas, AI-supported shark recognition devices and an identification manual were proposed in the workshop. Shark fins in frozen form may often be difficult to identify by enforcement agencies, requiring the need for a strengthened collective capacity among all agencies involved in fisheries management, trade regulation, biodiversity conservation and enforcement. Inaugurating the workshop, CGST & customs chief commissioner Shaik Khader Rahman said joint training exercises and a real-time communication channel among customs, fisheries officials, coastal police, researchers, and forest and wildlife departments are essential to enhance enforcement. "There is a need to forge lasting understanding and actionable strategies between conservation and enforcement," he said. "Fishing pressure and unregulated trade, together with other natural and anthropogenic factors like pollution and climate change, have placed many shark species under threat of extinction," said CMFRI director Grinson George. "Over 40 elasmobranch species are now listed under CITES I (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). This means that any trade involving these species must be accompanied by permits ensuring that their extraction from the wild is sustainable and not detrimental to their survival," he said, adding that effective conservation requires awareness among fishing communities, strengthening of monitoring, enforcement and international collaboration. At the same time, marine scientists cautioned that while implementing stricter conservation measures, livelihoods of fishermen must also be considered. "Shark fishing is a primary source of income for many Indian fishing families and enforcement should not disrupt legitimate fishing activities," said CMFRI finfish fisheries division head Shoba Joe Kizhakudan. Union fisheries joint secretary Neetu Kumari Prasad and T M Najmudeen also spoke at the function. Apart from marine scientists, officials from state fisheries and wildlife departments, customs, Coast Guard, Navy and wildlife crime control bureau, along with representatives of exporters and various NGOs, took part in the discussion.
