ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA), Chennai and Fishworkers Welfare Federation of India, (FISHFED, India), Navi Mumbai, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 27th September, 2022 for transferring the CIBA-PlanktonPlus production technology on non-exclusive basis. CIBA-Plankton Plus is a value added product developed from fish waste and trimmings. It helps in maintaining a healthy phytoplankton and zooplankton bloom in shrimp and fish culture, reduces the requirement of formulated feed without affecting growth and production performance. On the other hand, the process helps in environment friendly disposal of fish market wastes, thus transforming WASTE INTO WEALTH.
Fish waste processing unit has been setup right at the Diwale Gaon fish market, Belapur, Navi Mumbai to make the market as zerowaste model fish market under Swachh Bharat initiative. A team of scientists, Dr. Debasis De, Dr.P.Mahalakshmi and Dr.Sandeep, K.P., of ICAR-CIBA provided hands-on training and demonstrated PlanktonPlus production technology to the Fish-workers of ‘FISHFED, India’ from 6th to 9th February, 2023 at Diwale Gaon fish market, Belapur, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. CIBA scientists demonstrated the protocol for processing of fish wastes to value added products and their usage in commercial aquaculture and agriculture and their marketing potential. They informed the gathering and FISHFED India that Dr. Kuldeep K.Lal, Director, ICAR-CIBA had emphasized to promote this zerowaste model in other fish markets across the country. Mr. Jaideep Patil, President ‘FISHFED, India’ told that they will setup another two units at Thane and Mumbai fish market shortly with the support of ICAR-CIBA for promoting zerowaste fish market model as well as for the livelihood up-liftment of Fish-workers of ‘FISHFED, India’. Thus PlanktonPlus technology of ICAR-CIBA helps to promote zerowaste fish market, to uplift the livelihood status of fisher folk and helps to make a stride towards Swachh Bharat Mission.
