Milestone Marvel

ADVANCE TRAINING IN FISHING TECHNOLOGY

BY ROTARY DIST 3230 TSUNAMI RELIEF COMMITTEE FOR THE

TAMIL NADU FISHERMEN IN VIETNAM

The Rotary district 3230 tsunami Relief Committee has been continuously doing relief work in the last 3 ½ years since Tsunami struck the coasts of India by providing Boats, nets in the initial stages, shelter boxes, residential house and later on community halls, vocational Centre and building of new schools. In continuation of the good work, we have also provided Ice plant in 2 places so that fishermen can preserve their catches better by which they get a good price. We are also providing GPS System which will help fishermen to improve their catches. Rotary is now constructing a huge community hall, ice Plant, renovating 5 schools at a cost of Rs.1.5 crores in Pulikat village 50 km north of Chennai.

Advance training in fishing technology in Vietnam

As a part of this Relief Operation and to improve the life style of fishermen, the Tsunami Relief Committee is sending a team of seven Tamil Nadu fishermen and a team leader who is the former joint director of fisheries to Vietnam to undergo training in new methods of fishing, sea farming, fish processing for value addition and marketing of fish in wholesale and retail fish markets. This programme is arranged under Tsunami Relief Programme for the economic rehabilitation of fishermen. The entire cost of Rs.13 lakhs for boarding, lodging and air ticket for 20 days are borne by R I Dist 3230 Tsunami Relief Committee. This is the first of its kind in India that Rotary Dist 3230 Tsunami Relief Committee has undertaken for the welfare of fishermen.

Why Vietnam

In the last decade Vietnam has really advanced in fisheries development. The Government has taken enormous steps for the economic rehabilitation of fishermen under poverty alleviation programme. Nearly 75% of the population of the coastal areas has come-up with a few Lakhs of rupees worth of earning every year through farming in the sea. They culture nearly 20 varieties of fishes, Crabs, Lobsters, Mussels, Clams, Oysters, Sea cucumber and seaweeds in the sea.

Where as in India this kind of farming in the sea is still in very early stage due to lack of technology and essential inputs such as seed and feed. Several research Institute in fisheries, working for a few decades, couldn't develop the required technology in marine fish breeding. State run enterprises in Vietnam across the country supply seed, feed, technology of farming etc., to help farmers. 15,000 aquaculture co-operatives are functioning in Vietnam. About 4 million people are involved in fisheries out of which seven lakh people are employed in aquaculture alone. Vietnam produces 3 millions tones of fish worth of US$ 6 billions in which export alone contributes US 3 billions. Whereas India's fish production is 6 millions tones worth of US$ 7 billion and its contribution to export is only US$ 1.8 billion. The reason is that many high value fishes are not cultured in India.

The technology developed by Vietnam in both marine and freshwater fish culture has boosted up the fish production. Vietnam is utilizing the location advantage to catch lucrative live fish market in China. The cultured marine fish is taken by a live fish carrier ship to China for sale. Vietnam is culturing rock lobster in 32,000 cages at sea producing about 2,000 tones. A Kilo of live lobster is sold for US$50, whereas in India it does not fetch even 50% of it. We depend on wild catch for export and culture of lobster in commercial scale couldn't take off. Vietnam exports sea food to Japan, EU, Korea Republic, China, and other Asian markets. US imports Vietnamese catfish in large scale. Vietnam is the leading country in Cobia and grouper fish culture. India is yet to breed these fishes for aquaculture.

Wholesale fish market is situated side by side with fruit and vegetable markets. Fish market alone near Hochiminh city is bigger than our Koyambedu market. The roof of the market is very high. There is no foul smell of fish anywhere. A network of drainage is built and waste removal is frequent. Plenty of fresh water is used for washing. A lot of live fishes are sold with aeration in containers. The market starts at 11 p.m. and ends at 4 a.m. everyday.

In fresh water aquaculture Vietnam is advanced in catfish culture producing 200 tones/ha/year. Vietnamese pangasius catfish unlike many other catfishes, is capable of eating even kitchen waste, rice bran etc., and grow to bigger size. It is sold alive for US$ 1.0/Kg to the fish processing unit where it is filleted, frozen and packet for export to USA, EU etc. About 3,000 women are working in one fish processing unit Vietnam is also culturing Indonesian murrel (Chenna micropeltes) and produce 40-50 tones/ha/year. It grows to 1 kg size in 6 months. Pellet feed and trash fish are fed to murrels.

In fishing sector Vietnam is doing well in squid fishing and tuna fishing. Squid fishing is done at night with a lot of lights in the fishing vessel. Squids get attracted with light and swarm around fishing boats and get caught while jigging. This has never practiced in India.. Tuna long line fishing is common and fishermen are very good in post harvest handling of the catch without any damage to the fish. The fish is processed in sashimi grade and sold for US$ 8 to 10/Kg. Whereas fishermen in Tamil Nadu catch tuna and couldn't not handle it properly and sell the catch for Rs.60 to 70/Kg. To learn these details this programme is organized by the Head of International Collaboration Education Information department, Research Institute for Aquaculture No.1, Ministry of Agriculture, Vietnam

Thus our fishermen can learn a lot in fishing, fish processing, sea farming and marketing of fish in Vietnam and earn more money. We are also taking a movie of the entire training program which will used to teach other fishermen in the coastal villages. We are also working out ways and means of funding the new idea which they would learn with banks so that whatever they learn in Vietnam can be implemented back in India without any delay.

The whole process should change the life style and income level of our fishermen who will adapt the new techniques in fishing technology.