Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala and Minister of  State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Dr. L. Murugan, will inaugurate the “International Conclave on Mainstreaming Climate Change into International Fisheries Governance and Strengthening of Fisheries Management Measures in the Indo-Pacific Region” on 17^th October 2023 at Welcom hotel By ITC Hotels, Kences Palm Beach, Mahabalipuram, Chennai.

About the Event

Union Minister Shri Parshottam Rupala will inaugurate the International Conference; the Brainstorming Session on India's Preparedness for Adapting to Climate Change in Marine Fisheries and the thematic exhibition wherein research and educational institutes; community organizations and entrepreneurs would display their innovations and activities related to the theme. Dr. L. Murugan will deliver the special address. 

FAO senior officials, representatives from Regional Fisheries Bodies (RFBs), national research institutes under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Coastal State Governments, as well as universities like Tamil Nadu Dr. J. Jayalalithaa Fisheries University, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology and representatives from various industries and fishermen cooperatives are set to participate in the event.

A Scoping Workshop on “Mainstreaming LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) for Fisheries Management” is also scheduled on 17^th October, 2023 as a side event. Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi has launched Mission LiFE to bring individual behaviors to the forefront of the global climate action narrative at the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP26) the side event will deliberate the means for mainstreaming them in fisheries. Students from across the country are participating and presenting their innovative ideas on the theme.

Union Minister Shri Parshottam Rupala  and Dr. L. Murugan will also inaugurate the Poster Exhibition, featuring 25 LiFE ideas selected from a nationwide contest among students. Both Ministers will interact with the students about their ideas on Mainstreaming LiFE in Fisheries Management.

Climate change is significantly altering the distribution of shared (straddling, transboundary, and highly migratory) marine fish stocks worldwide. Recent studies predict that by the end of this century, nearly half of the shared marine fish stocks will have relocated, and a vast majority of the world's exclusive economic zones will witness at least one such shift. This relocation of marine fish stocks poses a challenge to the existing fisheries management framework. A deeper comprehension of how climate change affects shared fish stocks is crucial for robust, climate-resilient international fisheries governance.

The 35^th session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI35) held in Rome from 5-9 September 2022, recognized that the Regional Fishery Bodies (RFBs) have to effectively engage with the member countries on the topic of climate change and requested FAO to develop guidelines on climate-resilient fisheries management.

FAO convenes this Regional Workshop, “Mainstreaming Climate Change into International Fisheries Governance – the Case of Regional Fisheries Bodies in the Indo-Pacific Region,” involving the Regional Fishery Bodies (RFBs) from the Indo-Pacific region to develop guidelines for climate-resilient fisheries management and strategize the integration of climate change into international fisheries governance. The Department of Fisheries, under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying of the Government of India, hosts this International Conclave.

Alongside the FAO Workshop a Brainstorming Session on India's Preparedness for Adapting to Climate Change in Marine Fisheries is also being conducted on 17^th-18^th October 2023, wherein the key initiatives undertaken by the Government of India and other agencies in India will be presented to the global experts for dissemination and cross-learning to explore their application beyond the frontiers.

Secretary, Department of Fisherie, Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi  will give the keynote address. Joint Secretary, Ms. Neetu Kumari Prasad along with other senior Officers from Department of Fisheries will be present during the event.

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