Fisheries Week Celebration

in association with

World Fisheries Day, 2021

World Fisheries Day is celebrated every year on November 21st to highlight the importance of healthy oceans' ecosystems, to ensure sustainable stocks of fisheries in the world and for recognizing the importance of fisheries, as a leading food-producing sector. Fisheries fraternity celebrate this day through workshops, public meetings, cultural dramas, exhibitions, etc. The day also explores moves towards finding solutions to the increasingly inter-connected problems that the world is facing to follow the sustainable model.

Fisheries in India

Fisheries is an important sector in India that provides employment to millions of people apart from contributing to the food security of the country. India has over 8,000 km of coastline, and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of over 2 million sq km, and extensive freshwater resources. Thus, fisheries play a vital role in the economy of the country with the practice contributing about 1.07 percent to the GDP (Gross Domestic Product).

Panel Discussion

21st November 2021

Potential, Weakness, Opportunities, and Challenges for the sustainable development of the Fisheries sector in Kerala

MODERATOR

Prof. (Dr.) B. Madhusoodana Kurup

PANELIST

Dr. K. K. Vijayan

PANELIST

Dr. John Kurien

PANELIST

Dr. K. Sunil Mohamed

PANELIST

Dr. Shyam S. Salim

PANELIST

Mr. Surendran P.

Meet the panelist

Watch the live event

Invited Talk

20th November 2021

Prof. Steven J. Cooke

The state and future of inland fisheries and freshwater biodiversity

Dr. Steven J. Cooke

Professor

Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science

Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada

About the Speaker

Dr. Steven J. Cooke is Professor of Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology at the Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. Prof. Cooke completed his undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies and Master's Degree in Biology from the University of Waterloo (Canada), and was awarded a PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (USA). Since joining academia in 2005, he has made significant contributions to improving our knowledge of the biology, conservation and management of fish and aquatic ecosystems. Apart from being a leader in the emerging discipline of ‘conservation physiology’ and a globally recognized name in the areas of ‘recreational fisheries’ ‘migration biology of fish’ and ‘aquatic telemetry’, Prof. Cooke has also been a champion of freshwater biodiversity conservation and sustainable inland fisheries. He has particularly helped raise awareness on the threats facing freshwater fish, inland fisheries and freshwater biodiversity through his scientific and popular articles, talks and outreach activities. In the year 2012, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, utilized Prof. Cooke’s expertise to produce the UN FAO Technical Guidelines for recreational fisheries, and in 2019, he was named the ‘Robin Welcomme Fellow’ in Inland Fisheries at the Michigan State University (USA) to further his research on global freshwater fish conservation. Prof Cooke has been an exceptional mentor, having supervised several PhD students and postdoctoral trainees, many of whom are now established fisheries scientists, holding prestigious academic and research appointments across the world. As a prolific writer, and one of the world’s most productive fisheries scientists, Prof. Cooke has close to 1000 publications , which have been cited more than 43,000 times. He also serves on the editorial board of some of the most influential academic journals in the field of fisheries and aquatic sciences, besides being the Editor-in-chief of the journal ‘Conservation Physiology’.

MEMORIAL TALKS

19th November 2021

Dr. K. Sobhana Kumar & Mr. Subrato Ghosh

Remembering Dr. K. H. Alikunhi & Dr. Hiralal Chaudhuri

Kolliyil Hameed Alikunhi (27th May 1918 – 26th September 2010) was an eminent Indian fisheries scientist, who made seminal contributions in the field of aquaculture in the country. Hailing from Azhikode in Kerala, K. H. Alikunhi completed his education at the University of Madras, obtaining B. Sc. in Zoology in 1938 and an M. Sc. by research in 1941. During his professional career, he worked in various capacities at the Zoology Research Laboratory at the University of Madras (1941–1943), the Maharajas College, Ernakulam (1943–1945), Department of Fisheries, Madras (1945–1948), Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI), Barrackpore (1948–1964). He then served as the Director of the Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai (1964–1972). In 1969, he was elected as a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore. He later served as Fisheries Development Adviser to the Government of Kerala and as Director, Shrimp Hatcheries. In 2000, he was conferred a D.Sc. degree by the Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai. Dr. Alikunhi along with Dr. Hiralal Choudhuri achieved the induced breeding of Indian carps for the first time in 1957. This was followed by the successful production of zooplankton as feed for newly-hatched larvae of carps. Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE) became a Deemed University under his leadership. In later years, Alikunhi set up the first commercial shrimp hatchery of Kerala at Azheekode. Gaining recognition from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1972 for his contribution to fisheries, in subsequent years, Alikunhi was appointed to various eminent positions by the FAO in countries like Jordan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. Alikunhi has received several awards and honors, including the Chandrakala Hora Memorial Gold Medal of the Indian National Science Academy and Sunderlal Hora Gold Medal of the Ichthyological Society of India. During his career, he published more than 200 papers on fisheries development, freshwater and brackishwater aquaculture, marine fisheries and marine biology.

Dr. Hiralal Chaudhuri (21st November 1921 – 12th September 2014) was an Indian fisheries scientist, Hailing from Sylhet (present day Bangladesh). He is known as the father of induced breeding of carp in India, as he successfully induced breeding of Carps through hypophysation in 1957, along with Dr. K. H. Alikunhi, and thus paved way for the Blue Revolution in India.

Dr. Chaudhuri obtained his B.Sc. (with Honors) in 1941 and M.Sc. in Zoology in 1943, from the University of Calcutta,at M.S. degree in Fisheries Management from Auburn University, U.S.A and Ph.D. from the University of Calcutta in 1961.He was conferred a D.Sc. by the Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Deemed University in 2010. Dr. Choudhury served in Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute Barrackpore CIFRI Regional Centre, Cuttack, and the Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar and also held the post of Director at CIFRI. In 1958, he succeeded in hybridizing between major and minor carps of genera Labeo, Cirrhinus and Catla, a first in the world. He eventually produced twelve new hybrid carp species. Many countries around the world, like Myanmar, Laos, Fiji, Sudan, Malaysia and the Philippines, have benefitted from Dr. Chudhuri’s expertise in fish breeding. He served as a Fishery Advisor of the Food and Agricultural Organization/United Nations Development Programme (FAO/UNDP) to Myanmar between 1967 and 1976. He served as a visiting professor at the University of the Philippines, Los Baños during 1988-93.

Dr. Hiralal Chaudhuri was a recipient of numerous awards and honours including Chandrakala Hora Memorial Gold Medal of the Indian National Science Academy, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (1960), the Golden Key Award of the Auburn University, USA, World Aquaculture Award (1994), Asiatic Society Award (2002), among many others. The Government of India has declared July 10th as National Fish Farmers Day in 2001, to honour Prof. Chaudhuri’s role in the development of Indian Fisheries

About the Speakers

Dr. K. Sobhana Kumar

Retired Deputy General Manager (Aquaculture),

Matsyafed, Dept. of Fisheries, Govt. of Kerala

Dr. K. Sobhanakumar is an eminent fisheries scientist and scientific administrator who has served in various positions in the Dept. of Fisheries Govt. of Kerala for three decades and retired as Deputy General Manager (Aquaculture), Matsyafed. He holds M.Sc. in Zoology (Fish & Fisheries Specialization) from the Central University of Allahabad and a Ph.D. in Aquatic Biology & Fisheries from the University of Kerala. He has contributed to research in the fields of aquatic biology, fisheries, and aquaculture. During his period, the Department of Fisheries, Govt. of Kerala, he developed and established shrimp and prawn hatcheries, fish seed farms, ornamental fish culture, and aquarium facilities. He has also contributed to extension activities of the department, including women empowerment programs, and implemented ‘Aqua Tourism’ successfully for the first time in the state. He has served in various committees for the development of aquaculture in the state and has worked with state and central institutions for the establishment of projects under his charge. He has published more than 28 research publications in national and international journals. After he retired from government service, he was a Visiting Professor in the Dept. of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala.

Dr. Subrato Ghosh

Fishery Extension Officer,

Directorate of Fisheries, West Bengal

Mr. Subrato Ghosh completed his M.Sc. in Applied Aquaculture from Barkatullah University, Bhopal in 2003 with the first rank. He worked as Junior Research Fellow at the Department of Fishery Pathology and Microbiology, WB University of Animal and Fishery Sciences; as a Senior Research Fellow both at ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar and ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore. He also worked as a Lecturer in Fishery and Aquaculture at the Department of Zoology, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar. He has published 11 papers in reputed journals and participated in several national and international conferences. He joined the Directorate of Fisheries, Government of West Bengal as Fishery Field Assistant in January 2013 securing the first position on the merit list in the WBPSC exam, and is presently working as Fishery Extension Officer under this Directorate since June 2017.

Competitions & Tentative Dates

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Postponement of competitions

Due to the clash with several national and university examinations, The Executive Committee, Association of Fisheries Graduates has decided to postpone the dates of various competitions planned in connection with AFG Fisheries Week Celebration 2021. Therefore, interested candidates are requested to register for the competitions to be held on the revised dates.