The state government has initiated the process of establishing two mid-sea fish processing units with a carrier mother vessel each to be stationed in the Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean. This is the first time such an operation will be run on a public- private partnership basis.
Costing approximately `80 crore, the modern units would not only help in enhancing the quantity of fish being caught in the deep sea but also bring down the pressure on fishermen who are now fishing in the shallow waters of the Palk Bay.
According to sources, the fisheries department is in the process of preparing a feasibility report for setting up the two mid-sea fish processing units-cum-carrier mother vessel project.
The government would appoint a technically competent agency for assisting in the project. Also, it has been planned to engage a set of baby vessels for commercial fishing activity in the deep waters and to deposit the catches in the mid-sea processing units.
The fisheries department authorities have sought expression of interest (EOI) under international competitive bidding process for appointing consultants to prepare the feasibility report.
Since the cost of the project is huge, the chief minister J. Jayalalithaa had urged the Centre to provide financial assistance.
The project would immensely benefit the traditional fishermen who are distressed over the diminishing catch in shallow waters.
The chief minister had submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking financial assistance. She had underscored the fact that the mid-sea fish-processing unit would also act as a ‘value added export oriented park.’