Machilipatnam to be transformed as aqua hub of State

Vijayawada: Stating that Machilipatnam is well known for marine products, Minister for Mines, Geology and Excise Kollu Ravindra said Machilipatnam can be transformed as the aqua hub of Andhra Pradesh.

He said Machilipatnam region has a lot of potential for development of aquaculture and marine products. Ravindra along with a seven-member team of Global Environmental Organisation inspected the fishing harbour at Gilakaladindi near Machilipatnam, Krishna district on Sunday.

The Minister and the visiting delegation enquired about the problems being faced by the fishermen at the harbour and nearby areas in the sea and the environmental conditions.

Speaking to the media at the fishing harbour, the Minister said the State government was studying the possibility of increasing the revenue of fishermen. He said mangrove forests play a vital role in the growth of marine products and stressed upon the need to protect the mangrove forests.

Ravindra has alleged that the previous YSRCP government totally neglected and ruined the mangrove forests in coastal districts.

Referring to fishing in the sea, he said solar powered fishing boats were being used in fishing in several other countries and stressed upon the need to get such boats for Andhra Pradesh fishermen also. He said the government is studying the possibility of using renewable energy for fishing boats.

Ravindra underlined the need to check virus to the aqua feed. The Minister stated that fishermen venturing into the sea in small boats were facing many problems due to less food storage facility and no storage facility for the fish.

He said the government is considering procurement of Mother Ships which have fuel storage facility and fish storing facility with ice. He pointed out that fishermen were suffering losses due to lack of fishing storage facilities in small boats.

He said the State and Central teams will visit Andhra Pradesh to study the fishing harbours in the State and the State government will try to complete the pending works of the harbours under construction. Fisheries department commissioner T Dola Sankar, additional Director Dr Anjali, fisheries joint director A Chandrasekhar, district forest officer K Rajasekhar and others were present.