732 artificial reef units in 10 coastal states under PMMSY to be completed by Jan 2024: Centre

The Centre on Friday said it has sanctioned 732 artificial reef units for 10 coastal states with a total investment of Rs 126 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), which are expected to be completed by January 2024. The projects are being implemented with the technical support of Fishery Survey of India (FSI) and Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), according to the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. All the states have completed their site selection process while Kerala and Maharashtra have completed the tendering process for execution of work, it said.

''Thus all projects are expected to be completed by January 2024,'' the ministry said in a statement.

As one of the impactful strategies, installation of artificial reefs in coastal waters and undertaking sea ranching programmes across in all coastal states is expected to rejuvenate coastal fisheries and re-build fish stocks, it said.

Artificial reefs are engineering technology interventions used to rehabilitate and/or improve natural habitats, increase productivity and manage aquatic resources including habitat enhancement as per the UN body Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Installation of artificial reefs is advantageous in many forms.

For instance, like natural reefs, artificial reefs are used for aggregating fish and provide a home for fish to live and grow, reduce wave damage on coasts, helps regeneration of marine ecosystem and act as a carbon sink. The centrally sponsored scheme PMMSY was launched in May 2020 with an investment of Rs 20,050 crore to bring about Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of the fisheries sector.

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