The Master of Fisheries Science (M.F.Sc) is a master's degree for studies in fisheries science in India. Fisheries science is the academic discipline of managing and understanding fisheries. It is typically taught in a university setting, and can be the focus of an undergraduate, postgraduate or Ph.D. program. Master level fisheries courses were started by the state agricultural universities to make available the much needed technically competent personnel for teaching, research and development and transfer of technology in the field of fisheries science. [1]
Fisheries education in India started with the establishment of the Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai, in 1961, for in-service training, and later with the establishment of the College of Fisheries at Mangalore under the State Agricultural University (SAU) system in 1969. Over the next four decades, the field grew manifold and evolved as a professional discipline consisting of Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral programmes in various branches of Fisheries Science. At present, out of the nineteen Fisheries Colleges, ten of them offer Master of Fisheries Science in various disciplines and six offer Doctoral programmes. The postgraduate curricula and syllabi are periodically revised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for a common syllabus. All the Fisheries Colleges are in the process of adapting these, bringing in parity of standards between Colleges. [2]
The postgraduate degree Master of Fisheries Science is a two-year course offered in various disciplines. Candidates possessing a Bachelor of Fisheries Science degree from SAU are eligible for admission through a common entrance test conducted by various universities. ICAR common syllabus for M.F.Sc. programme is periodically revised. The programme has 55 total credits, including 1 credit for seminar and 15 credits for research.
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is a three-year course offered in various displines. The Ph.D. programmes are offered in regular and part-time mode. Candidates possessing a basic B.F.Sc. degree from SAU are eligible for admission through a common entrance test conducted by various universities. The programme has 75 total credits, including 2 credits for seminar and 45 credits for research.
Various colleges are awarding Master (MFSc) degrees, Doctoral degree and M.Phil in the field of fisheries science and conducting various training programmes and diploma and certificate courses in fisheries. [1]
Every state government has a Fisheries Department in which fisheries graduate can apply for the post of Inspector of Fisheries/Research Assistants, Sub-Inspector of Fisheries, Assistant Directors, Assistant Fisheries Development Officer (AFDO) / Fisheries Extension Officer (FEO) and Fisheries Development Officer(FDO). In State Fisheries Development Corporations, they can apply for the posts of Deputy Managers, Managers, Project Officers and Fisheries Officers. In Fish Farmers Development Agency (FFDA) and Brackish water Farmers Development Agency (BFDA),they can apply for the post of Executive Officers in respective states. Eligibility criteria vary for each state and can be known from respective public service commissions.
Apart from Central Fisheries Institutes listed previously, one can get a job in central agencies; for example, as Technical Officers and Assistant Directors in Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Export Inspection Agency (EIA), Coastal Aquaculture Authority of India (CAA), Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and as Technical Officers and Scientists in Fisheries Survey of India (FSI), National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad, etc.
Candidates with bachelor's degrees can apply for the post of Instructor, Research Assistant, Biochemist, Biologist, Technicians, etc. in some conventional universities. Candidates with postgraduate degrees can apply for the post of Assistant Professor in the faculty of Fisheries. For the recruitment of scientists in various agricultural and fisheries Institutions under the ICAR, Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board (ASRB) conducts an All India Competitive Exam, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) followed by viva voce.
Fisheries graduates can get jobs as an Assistant Development Officer in National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Rural Development Officer, Field Officer, Managers in agriculture loan section in nationalized as well as private banks.
Candidates can work as a manager or officers in seafood processing and export units:
The fish processing industry is well developed in the country. There are about 236 EU-approved processing plants and 33 exclusive cold storage facility (storing fish & fishery products only) are available. In addition to this, 215 ice plants, 481 shrimp peeling plants, 371 freezing plants, 495 cold storage units, 7 canning plants, 16 fish meal plants, 11 surimi plants, and one agar-agar production unit are also present. Lot of jobs are available in the above units.
Most of the fish farms employ professional fisheries graduates as Farm In Charge. Apart from this, the fish feed requirement is growing steadily. There are 33 feed mills with an installed capacity of 150 000 tpa. This sector is providing direct employment to about 0.3 million people and ancillary activities provide employment to 0.6-0.7 million people.
The technical competency of the professional fisheries graduates make them as successful Aqua Consultants. Most of them are working in this area. As an entrepreneur, after obtaining the professional degree in B.F.Sc, candidates can start their own enterprise. The financial support can be obtained through NABARD or through other nationalized banks. The main area in which fisheries enterprise can be developed are: feed manufacturing, feed sales, ornamental fish culture and breeding, aquaculture, hatchery and seed production, fish processing and marketing, net making, establishment of Agri Clinics for fish disease diagnosis and for testing and supply of farm inputs.
Apart from scope for higher education in fisheries in countries such as USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, China and in European countries, there is a demand for fisheries professionals in the aquaculture and processing sectors in Gulf and African countries. Several fisheries graduates are doing business in foreign countries in field of aquaculture, fish processing export and import.
University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore is located in Bengaluru, India. It was established in 1964 as UAS Bangalore by a legislative act.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is an autonomous body responsible for co-ordinating agricultural education and research in India. It reports to the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry of Agriculture. The Union Minister of Agriculture serves as its president. It is the largest network of agricultural research and education institutes in the world.
The Central Institute of Fisheries Nautical and Engineering Training formerly known as the Central Institute of Fisheries Operatives, is a marine studies centre located at Kochi, India. Maintained by the Department of Fisheries and Animal Husbandry and Dairying of the Government of India, the institute was set up to aid research and development in the field.
The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) was established by Government of India on 3 February 1947 under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and later, in 1967, it joined the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) family and emerged as a leading tropical marine fisheries research institute in the world. The Headquarters of the ICAR-CMFRI is located in Kochi, Kerala. Initially the institute focused its research efforts on creating a strong database on marine fisheries sector by developing scientific methodologies for estimating the marine fish landings and effort inputs, taxonomy of marine organisms and the biological aspects of the exploited stocks of finfish and shellfish on which fisheries management were to be based. This focus contributed significantly to development of the marine fisheries sector from a predominantly artisanal, sustenance fishery till the early sixties to that of a complex, multi-gear, multi-species fisheries.
St. Albert's College is an autonomous liberal arts college located at Kochi, India. It has twenty three degree courses, twelve postgraduate courses and seven research centres. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has accredited the College at the "A" level with an aggregate score of 3.24. St. Albert's College (Autonomous) was ranked as one among the best hundred autonomous colleges in India.
The Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, usually abbreviated as either B.Sc.(Agr.) or B.S.A. or B.Sc.(Ag.) or B.Sc. (Hons.) Ag. is the first undergraduate degree awarded by university faculty of agriculture and agricultural colleges. The program is 4 years of study above Grade 12 High School graduation.
Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, formerly Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, is an agricultural university at Dapoli in Ratnagiri district of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It was established on 18 May 1972 as Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, and got its present name on 12 February 2001 in memory of third Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri. P. K. Sawant. Its research centre at Karjat has developed some patented varieties of rice. Its major focus areas are rice, horticulture and fisheries. In 1997, it received the Best Institute Award of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Dr. SD Sawant is the 14th Vice Chancellor of this University, he was appointed by Chancellor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao on 7 March 2019.
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University or SAU(শেকৃবি) is the oldest agricultural institution in Bangladesh and South Asia. It is situated in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka. It was established on 11 December 1938 as Bengal Agricultural Institute (BAI) and later upgraded to university in 2001 renaming it as Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University.
The West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences (WBUAFS) is a public state veterinary university in West Bengal, India. It was established on 2 January 1995 by an Act of the West Bengal legislature. It imparts education and training in veterinary and animal sciences, dairy sciences, and fishery sciences.
The Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE) is a Deemed to be University and institution of higher learning for fisheries science in Mumbai, India. CIFE has over four decades of leadership in human resource development with its alumni aiding in the development of fisheries and aquaculture worldwide, producing notable contributions to research and technological advancements to its credit.
Fishing is a major economic activity in Portugal. The country has a long tradition in the sector, and is among the countries in the world with the highest fish consumption per capita. Roman ruins of fish processing facilities were found across the Portuguese coast. Fish has been an important staple for the entire Portuguese population, at least since the Portuguese Age of Discovery.
Fishery and fishing industry plays a significant part in the national economy of Pakistan. With a coastline of about 1,120 km, Pakistan has enough fishery resources that remain to be developed. Most of the population of the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan depends on fisheries for livelihood. It is also a major source of export earning.
The Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) is a university established by government of Kerala devoted to studies in fisheries and ocean sciences. The bill seeking to establish the university was passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly on 30 December 2010. KUFOS has its headquarters in the premises of the College of Fisheries, Panangad, near Madavana junction along the Kochi Bypass. The College of Fisheries, established in 1979, was a constituent college of the Kerala Agricultural University. KUFOS is the first university in India exclusively dedicated to studies in fisheries and allied disciplines. The university was inaugurated and dedicated to the nation in a function held at the campus of the College of Fisheries, Panangad, on 20 February 2011.
National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) was launched during February 2011 by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) with the funding from Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. The mega project has three major objectives of strategic research, technology demonstrations and capacity building. Assessment of the impact of climate change simultaneous with formulation of adaptive strategies is the prime approach under strategic research across all sectors of agriculture, dairying and fisheries.
The Fisheries College and Research Institute (FCRI) is situated in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India.
The Bachelor of Fisheries Science (B.F.Sc) is a bachelor's degree for studies in fisheries science in India. "Fisheries science" is the academic discipline of managing and understanding fisheries. It is a multidisciplinary science, which draws on the disciplines of aquaculture including breeding, genetics, biotechnology, nutrition, farming, diagnosis of diseases in fishes, other aquatic resources, medical treatment of aquatic animals; fish processing including curing, canning, freezing, value addition, byproducts and waste utilization, quality assurance and certification, fisheries microbiology, fisheries biochemistry; fisheries resource management including biology, anatomy, taxonomy, physiology, population dynamics; fisheries environment including oceanography, limnology, ecology, biodiversity, aquatic pollution; fishing technology including gear and craft engineering, navigation and seamanship, marine engines; fisheries economics and management and fisheries extension. Fisheries science is generally a 4-year course typically taught in a university setting, and can be the focus of an undergraduate, postgraduate or Ph.D. program. Bachelor level fisheries courses (B.F.Sc) were started by the state agricultural universities to make available the much needed technically competent personnel for teaching, research and development and transfer of technology in the field of fisheries science.
Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA) is one of the research institutes under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi to serve as the nodal agency for catering to the needs of the brackishwater aquaculture research in India. The institute is headquartered at Santhome High Road, Raja Annamalai Puram, Chennai with a research centre at Kakdwip in West Bengal and an experimental field station at Muttukadu, roughly 30 km to the south of Chennai. The institute works under the Ministry of Agriculture, India.
Prof. (Dr.) B. Madhusoodana Kurup, an internationally renowned fisheries researcher, academician, visionary and administrator, is the Founder Vice-Chancellor of Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Cochin and also served as the third Vice Chancellor of Shri Venkateshwara University, Gajraula, Uttar Pradesh. He has established and successfully developed the first Fisheries and Ocean Sciences University in the country. He did his postdoc from Fish Culture and Fisheries division, Wagenengen University, The Netherlands. He served as UGC Professor (Fisheries) at Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) for over eighteen years.
Dr. Hiralal Chaudhuri was an Indian Bengali fisheries scientist. He was the father of induced breeding of the carp. The Blue revolution in India was developed on the basis of seed production technology through Hypophysation by him. He later led the way in intensive mixed farming to increase fish production in ponds.
Subbanna Ayyappan is an Indian aquaculture scientist hailing from the Karnataka State who has held several key positions in various Govt organisations related to agricultural science. He was the Director-General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Secretary to Government, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) during Jan 2010 – Feb 2016. He was also the Chancellor of Central Agricultural University, Manipur. He was instrumental in bringing about the Blue Revolution in India. He was the first non-crop scientist to head the ICAR.