Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Shri ParshottamRupala will inaugurate the Global Fisheries Conference India 2023, a two-day mega event, on Tuesday at Gujarat Science City, Ahmedabad. Under the theme ‘Celebrating Fisheries and Aquaculture Wealth’, the conference aims to bring together key stakeholders on one platform for fruitful discussions, market insights and networking.Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel, Minister of State Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying , Information and Broadcasting  Dr L Murugan and Minister of State Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Dr Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, High level delegations  from about 10 countries, Delegates from International Organizations, Fisheries Associations, Fishers  and other dignitaries will be present at the inaugural ceremony.

Gujarat Minister for Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Cow-breeding Shri. Raghavjibhai Patel, Union Fisheries Secretary Dr AbhilakshLikhi and India Head of Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)Mr. Takayuki Hagiwara will speak on the occasion. Joint Secretaries of the Department of Fisheries Shri. SagarMehra and MsNeetu Kumari will deliver welcome address and propose the vote of thanks respectively.

In a major development in the fisheries sector of Gujarat, the Inland Reservoir Leasing Policy of the state will be launched on the occasion. The opening session will also witness the official declaration of the State Fish of Gujarat; distribution of Group Accident Insurance Scheme claim cheques, KCC cards, transponders for vessel communication and support system to the beneficiaries; and release of a booklet ‘State Fishes of India’ and a handbook on Fisheries Statistics. Awards on the World Fisheries Day will also be distributed on the occasion.

International Round Table led by Union Minister

One of the major highlights of the conference is an International Round Table Conferencechaired by Union Minister Shri. ParshottamRupala. This high-level dialogue, attended by different nations and representatives of various international agencies, will focus on international collaborative efforts to sustain the sector amid a range of critical challenges, including climate crisis.  Monique Tran representing Counsellor for Agricultural Affairs, France; Cristian Rodrigo Valdes Carter and Arti Bhatia Kumar from Norway; Dr Richard Niall, First Secretary (Agriculture) from Australian High Commission; Muratov Sergey,  AdiatulinIlias and Shagushina Anna from Russia; Wagner Antunes, Head of the Trade Promotion Department of the Embassy of Brazil; Mr.DimitriosIoannou, Minister and Ambassador, Greece; Borja Velasco Tuduri, Counsellor, Spain; Melanie Phillips, Counsellor (Agriculture), New Zealand; and Peter Hobwani, Deputy Ambassador, Zimbabwe have will grace the occasion. About 50 Indian missions are also expected to join through virtual mode.

High-level of diplomatic delegations from more than10 countries have conformed their participation and will attend the conferencephysically. In addition, around 50 other foreign diplomats are anticipated to join the meet virtually. Similarly, around 10 renowned international organizations, including Asian Development Bank (ADB), Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN (FAO), GiZ, Bay of Bengal Inter-Governmental Programme (BOBP-IGO) and Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)will also attend the global meet.A diverse array of dignitaries and stakeholders including state fisheries ministers, ambassadors of different nations, global fisheries scientists, policy makers, fisheries communities and investment bankers will attend the conference.

Exhibition

The conference covers over 210 national and international exhibitors, including start-ups, exporters, fisheries associations, and processing industries. It will showcase their products, technology, success stories, and innovative solutions. This will offer a unique opportunity to the enterprises, startups, associations, co-operatives, Self Help Groups (SHGs) and small-medium fisheries enterprises to come together on one platform and showcase their range of products and services in the fisheries.

The event will encompass technical sessions, including MatsyaManthan, featuring technical discussions with national and international experts; industry connect for interactions between industry stakeholders and policy makers; Government to Government (G2G), Business to Government (B2G) and Business to Business (B2B) Bilateral meets; exhibition showcasing cutting-edge fisheries and aquaculture technologies. A special pavilion will be set up to exclusively demonstrate 10 transformative initiatives in the fisheries sector.

The conference will witness more than 5,000 visitors, including fishers, fish farmers, fish vendors, foreign delegates, investors, local communities and representatives of fisheries cooperativesand fisheries start-ups.  International leaders, technology investors, research and development institutions, equipment manufacturers, export councils, fisheries' associations, financial institutions, international fishing industry organizations, and aquaculture pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals will also participate in the two-day mega event. More than 4000 fishers are expected to attend from various region of Gujrat in addition to participation from other states. 

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SK/SS/SM