Network for Fish Quality Management and Sustainable Fishing (NETFISH) is a society formed in 2006 under the aegis of Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Kochi. The Society is registered under the Travancore–Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Registration Act, 1955. NETFISH, the extension arm of MPEDA, stands for improving the quality of fishery products exported from the country and the sustainability of fishery resources as well. The major objectives of NETIFSH is to empower fisheries sector by imparting knowledge to fishermen, fisherwomen, processing workers, technicians, other fishery stakeholders etc. on fish quality management, conservation of fish resources and sustainable fishing.
NETFISH Head Office is located at Vallarpadam, Kochi. The Chairman of MPEDA is the President of NETFISH and the Chief Executive Officer is the officer in-charge of this organization. NETFISH have its State Coordinators in all the maritime states of India to execute the awareness training programmes.
Address : NETFISH-MPEDA, Vallarpadam P. O., Kochi-682 504
Phone : 0484 2100012
Email ID : netfishmpeda@gmail.com
Contact Person: Dr. Joice V Thomas, Chief Executive, NETFISH
Website : www.netfishmpeda.org
NETFISH organizes grass root level awareness programmes among fishermen, fisherwomen, processing workers and other stakeholders, thereby changing their mindset towards fish quality management and responsible fishing. Various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have been selected as members in NETFISH considering their past records on conducting fisheries development programmes. Personals from these member NGO’s are being trained on various fisheries extension programmes with the help of reputed fisheries institutes /universities /departments/scientists, etc. and are utilized for conducting various extension programmes among fisher folk. Both theory and practical classes are being arranged for the fishermen.
Since 2007, NETFISH has been conducting effective extension works in all maritime states of India. Repeated training programmes are conducted at areas in and around selected harbours and landing centers in these states. So far, NETFISH has successfully conducted around 20000 extension programmes whole through the country. NETFISH programmes include Fish quality management programmes conducted at landing sites, fishing vessels, fishermen villages, pre-processing centers, processing factories and dryfishing areas. Also, awareness programmes on conservation of marine resources and sustainable fishing were conducted in fishing vessels, fishing harbours and nearby places. To spread the message more effectively among the beneficiaries, a variety of special programmes like street plays, clean-up programmes, mass communication programmes, school children programmes, medical camps, rally etc were also organized by NETFISH.
Apart from these programme NETFISH runs small projects independently or in collaboration with other organizations. In Gujarat Dry Fish Demo units were set up in collaboration with CIFT, and training for hygienic production of dry fish are given to Self Help Groups involved in dry fish production. In Maharashtra, NETFISH along with MPEDA & RGCA is running a project on Mangrove Crab, which is funded by UNDP. Another project on “Socio-Economic Up gradation of SC/ST Fisherwomen of SHG in Sunderbans through Mud Crab Farming” has started in West Bengal by NETFISH. Also, a model dryfish unit will be set up soon in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh by NETFISH. Three Sea Clubs, supported by NETFISH, are formed at Department of Marine and Coastal Studies of Madurai Kamaraj University, at Dept. of Fisheries & Aquaculture in St. Alberts College Ernakulam and at Institute of Fisheries Technology under Tamil Nadu Fisheries University Nagapattinam for organizing extension activities in coastal regions through student volunteers.
NETFISH is maintaining a web portal by including the details of fishing boats arriving in major harbours and the type and of quantity of fish landed, on a daily basis. Harbour data collectors/Data Entry Operators appointed in the harbours collect the data from the harbour and send it to NETFISH HO from where it is uploaded to the web portal. Currently, data is collected from 25 harbours along the coastal states of India.
NETFISH has developed various extension tools such as documentaries, animation films, posters and leaflets on different topics in different languages to use in the training programmes
NETFISH produced ten posters on different aspects of fish quality management, sustainable fishing and conservation of fishery resources in ten languages during 2008-09. The titles of these posters are given below:
NETFISH has produced 17 leaflets in ten different languages of India on various aspects of fish quality management, sustainable fishing and conservation of fishery resources. The titles of these leaflets are given below.
Joice et al., 2010, Fish Quality Management & Conservation of Marine Fishery Resources, Training Manual published by NETFISH-MPEDA, Cochin, pp-40