‘Green Certification’ scheme to curb wild capture of ornamental fishes

[email protected] (CD Network)
May 16, 2017

Mangaluru, May 16: Tapping into the huge potential of ornamental fishery as a livelihood option and foreign exchange earner, the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) has launched a subsidy scheme for the setting up of breeding units of colourful aquarium fishes and marketing societies in various states to facilitate their export.

Aquarium
Through its new Ornamental Fish Assistance Scheme, MPEDA, an agency of the Union Commerce and Industry Ministry, provides subsidy for the ornamental fishery to registered Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Marketing Societies. Financial assistance is provided at the rate of 25 per cent of the total investment, subject to a maximum of Rs 10 lakh.

Earlier, it was providing subsidy under a three-tier gradation scheme. Under Grade I, maximum financial assistance was Rs 75,000 for a breeding unit, Rs 2 lakh under Grade II, and Rs 7.5 lakh under Grade III.

“Through its subsidy schemes, the Authority has established ornamental fish breeding units in states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh,” Dr. A Jayathilak, Chairman, MPEDA, said at the three-day Aqua Aquaria India (AAI) 2017, a biennial exposition on India’s ornamental fishery and aquaculture sector that began here yesterday.

During FY 2015-16, the company assisted 22 units with a financial involvement of Rs. 95.01 lakhs. “These units are functioning well and contributing to favourable exports from their units,” he added.

MPEDA has also launched a ‘Green Certification’ scheme, the first of its kind for the freshwater ornamental fishery, to curb the harmful impact of wild capture of aquarium fishes and help maintain the environmental and economic sustainability. It has also successfully completed a project on breeding techniques of indigenous fresh water species of the Western Ghats.

“The scheme will help reduce dependence on wild stocks and ensure that the fish collection is done in tune with the principles of ecosystem management,” Dr. Jayathilak pointed out. “Green certification and eco-labelling are now considered imperative to sustain the ornamental fish resources and boost the product image.”

On the issue of aquarium accessories and equipments (plants, aeration units and feed) being mostly imported from China, he said MPEDA is imparting training programmes in areas like aquarium fabrication, assembling of filters and production of live feed. “More initiatives would come up in this regard. Several ‘Lab to Farm’ projects have to be implemented to transfer technologies from various research organisations to the field.”

High freight charges for ornamental fish export by leading carriers, non-acceptance of live fish cargo by certain carriers, lack of quarantine facilities at major ports, and unavailability of pure strain of brood stock leading to poor quality and less survival rate of marketable size fish are among the major problems affecting the aquarium industry. Also, there is absence of an organised domestic market in many states for aquarium fish that needs to be addressed.

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News Network
March 28,2024

An Indian expatriate, hailing from Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka, who was detained in Jeddah jail in an alleged cyber case, was set free recently. He is allowed to continue his work in the same company. 

The 49-year-old Mangalurean, has been working for a Maintenance company in Jeddah for more than 13 years. He is known for his efficiency and sincerity in the company with good experience in his field of work. 

His company usually assigned him on duty in Jeddah sea port to take the delivery of the goods consigned to his company. As a part of his duty, he normally takes pictures of the goods before the transportation. He did the same in February 2023 too. 

The security personnel informed the police about his act that amounts to be a violation of the port security rule. He was unaware of the rule as he was doing it normally in the port during the release of the goods. Since then, he was detained by the police on the charge of photographing inside the port premises. After more than 6 months detention, he was released and allowed to work in the same company. 

The detainee’s brother based in Jeddah was constantly pursuing the case.

P A Hameed Padubidri, a pro-bono NRI lawyer and social worker based in Riyadh, extended his socio-humanitarian help in this case upon the request of his family and relatives. 

He actively involved trying to set him free from the jail on humanitarian grounds with the coordination and help of the Consulate General of India (CGI) Jeddah. The CGI keenly followed up the case with the concerned Saudi authorities. He was released from the jail recently and shared his happiness with his family and thanked good samaritans. 

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News Network
March 27,2024

DKSiddu.jpg

Gokarna (Uttara Kannada): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said the Congress will decide about making him the Chief Minister in future, bringing to the fore again the issue of leadership change.

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the Chief Minister's post after the Assembly election results in May last year, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy Chief Minister.

There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational Chief Minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.

During a temple visit here, a priest prayed that God's blessings may be showered on Shivakumar, and he became the Chief Minister.

Speaking to reporters here in Uttara Kannada district, Shivakumar, who has in the past made no secret of his ambition to become Chief Minister, amid speculations of change in guard mid-way of the Assembly term, responded to talk in some political circles about the leadership issue.

"What's wrong if a priest expresses his desire before God while praying? The priest has expressed his desire. Now Siddaramaiah is the Chief Minister, I'm working as Deputy Chief Minister under him, also as party's state President. People speak about it and desiring it (Shivakumar should become CM) is a different matter, it will be decided by our party," Shivakumar said.

"Now we are all working under the leadership of Siddaramaiah, and our desire is that the state should progress further under his leadership," he said.

"There will be people including supporters and priests, who pray for us, they will express their opinion. Can we stop them from doing it? At the temple it is between God and his disciple, they have expressed their feelings to God," Shivakumar added. 

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News Network
March 21,2024

visa.jpg

Mangaluru: A man from Dakshina Kannada was duped of Rs 2.5 lakh after he was promised a Poland visa.

In a complaint, a resident of Belthangady, stated that the accused, Manoj, had promised a job for his son in Poland. 

Between May 22 of last year and March 19, he handed over Rs 2.2 lakh in various phases, citing different reasons.

However, since the accused failed to provide a visa or return the money, a case was registered at the Dharmasthala police station under IPC sections 417 and 420.

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