With the global fish production expected to increase by 40-60 million tonnes by 2050, former Director General of World Fish Centre (Malaysia) M. Vijay Gupta called for concerted efforts between the government departments and educational institutions to capture the potential in fisheries and aquaculture development. Delivering the convocation address during the sixth convocation ceremony of Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University (SVVU) here on Wednesday, Dr. Gupta, who is also the recipient of the World Food Prize 2005 and Sunhak Peace Prize 2015, underlined the importance of fish to the State’s economy and nutritional security, urging the varsity management to consider the inclusion of fisheries in the university’s name Sri Venkateswara Veterinary and Fisheries University. Skilled manpower The State government and the university should be lauded for their efforts in establishing Fisheries College at Muthukur and a polytechnic at Bhavadevarapalli, to address the shortage of skilled manpower in the sector. This will ensure adequate resources to cope up with the expansion and intensification of aquaculture taking place in the State, he remarked. With respect to the recruitment and training of 250 multi-purpose fisheries assistants, aimed to serve the fishermen and farmers, Dr. Gupta said that the number would not be sufficient to meet the demands of the sector and called upon the varsity management for establishing another fisheries polytechnic in Brackish Water Farming Zone’, besides collaborating and assisting the Department of Fisheries in capacity building and improving the skills of the existing staff members. Growth engine Further elucidating on the State government’s Fishery Policy 2015, envisaged to enhance the present fish production from 19.6 lakh tonnes to 42 lakh tonnes and doubling the fish exports in the next five years, Dr. Gupta asserted that rational exploitation and utilisation of resources towards sustainable development would turn the sector into a growth engine for achieving social and economic development. In addition to this, there is an immediate need for diversification of species, owing to the changing demand of the consumers. Absence of the same, with indigenous species, might result in farmers importing exotics illegally, giving rise to biodiversity concerns, he maintained. Dr. Gupta also called for spreading awareness on good/best management practices, scientific and technological support, steps to increase consumption of fish and several other initiatives for the farmers, to transform Andhra Pradesh into Aqua Hub of India’. He said that the Integrated National Fisheries Plan 2016 The Mission Blue Revolution’ would make use of our country’s vast aquatic resources, including the long coastline, making it one of the principal occupations to a large section of the population. He also spoke on the importance of livestock and challenges faced by the sector, followed by a wide array of suggestions. Chief Secretary (Panchayat Raj and Rural Development) K. Jawahar Reddy read the annual report reviewing the activities of the university. A total of 245 students were presented degrees, including gold medals and cash prizes for their achievements, followed by awards to the teachers.