The Hindu Business Line : Fresh bid to find new tuna resources

AFTER suffering initial setbacks, India's first full-fledged demonstrative tuna pilot project, which was launched off Visakhapatnam coast in August with the principal intention of assessing the scope and potential for tuna fishing, has launched a fresh voyage to test the waters off the west coast for tuna resources.

Since the launching of the project, under the joint aegis of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) and the Association of Indian Fishery Industries (AIFI), the two vessels that were upgraded into tuna long liners have undertaken two voyages off the coasts of Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Chennai and Pondicherry.

The latest voyage, launched two days ago off the coast of Vizhinjam near Thiruvanthapuram, holds special significance, as the two vessels will be, for the first time, venturing into deeper waters to scout for tuna resources. Results from the voyage, which is expected to last for a fortnight, are keenly awaited by the Indian deep sea fishing industry, as they would form the base for a major diversification in the country's fishing sector.

Industry sources say the results from the first two voyages have not been "that encouraging'', with each vessels returning home with meagre quantities of small-sized tuna fish.

However, the industry is far from giving up yet, for exportable tuna resources, each weighing above 30 kg, are said to be located in much deeper waters in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

"The present voyage which will be venturing into deeper waters will bring us more accurate pointers to the commercial and technical viability of tuna fishing,'' an industry source told Business Line.

Industry sources also pointed out that the teething problems encountered during the first two voyages were mostly on account of "unexpected technical snags'' and were not an upshot of any technological handicaps.

In the on-going exercise, the industry has taken all steps to bring in the right long-lining technology from Japan— the know-how is being supplied by Sanko Bussan (Guam) Co Ltd, which has also offered to buy back the entire tuna harvested by the two trawlers under the demonstrative pilot project.

With shrimp landings flagging due to the industry's over dependence on this product, tuna operations could mark a significant diversification in the industry.

Industry sources say if the demonstrative tuna pilot project brings home encouraging results, even 20 to 30 trawlers may opt for upgradation into tuna long liners.

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