IN FOCUS: SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL FISHERIES, CUSAT
Fisheries, like agriculture, is a production sector that has been contributing significantly to the national economy, besides supporting the livelihood of a large part of rural population and providing answer to ever-growing demand for food. Fish production in the country has developed into an industry that facilitates trade of fish and fishery products in domestic and international markets. Today, the country gains more than Rs 60,000 crores as export earnings from marketing fish and fishery products. However, the fisheries sector in the country had been facing multifaceted challenges. Scientists and policy makers proposed sustainable fisheries management which, however, required large force of academically trained manpower. Thus, fisheries education has long been given importance by academia in the country.
With a noble objective of catering to increased demand for trained manpower in the seafood processing industry that started flourishing in the state of Kerala during the Seventies, the foresighted academicians of the then University of Cochin (later renamed as Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), started a multi- disciplinary post graduate degree in Industrial Fisheries in 1976 and established a Department of Industrial Fisheries at the Lake Side campus of the university, for teaching and conducting research in all aspects of fisheries. Recognising its achievements in teaching, research and outreach activities in different facets of fisheries, the university elevated the department to the status of a School in 1995. The vision of the School of Industrial Fisheries (SIF) carries a broad theme which was ignited from the motto of CUSAT — तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु (tejasvi navadhitamastu), a proclamation in Sanskrit, which means, ‘May learning illuminate us’. The school’s vision focuses on providing quality education in all facets of fisheries to mold socially responsible global citizens, adept in achieving sustainability goals.


All Images Courtesy: School of Industrial Fisheries, CUSAT
PROGRAMMES OFFERED AT SIF-CUSAT
Fast approaching its Golden Jubilee year, the school today offers two post graduate programmes in fisheries, besides a PhD programme in fisheries science. The courses offered by the school are designed to equip students with scientific, technical and managerial skills to take up careers in fisheries and other sectors as well. These courses qualify the students for careers in seafood processing and export, aquaculture, ornamental fisheries, fishing craft and gear technology, fisheries economics, fisheries management and fisheries marketing. The students are empowered to address emerging issues in the fisheries sector.
Today, food safety has emerged as a prime concern and food safety management demands unceasing efforts for maintaining standards right from primary food production through entire chain of custody until it reaches the end users. Effective food safety management requires concerted integration of skills, attitudes, and mindsets of all involved. The objectives of food safety management can be achieved only by trained and especially skilled manpower. Having recognised the need for specially trained manpower in seafood safety, the school started a post graduate program in Seafood Safety and Trade.


Master of Science (MSc) in Industrial Fisheries
The MSc in Industrial Fisheries course is a multi-disciplinary programme spread over four semesters with an intake of 25, and is designed to offer the students the needed scientific, technical and managerial skills to take up responsible positions in fisheries industry, managerial and administrative responsibilities in the fisheries sector, academic and scientific career in universities and R&D institutions of the country and abroad.
Master of Fisheries Science (MFSc) in Seafood Safety and Trade
The school is also offering an innovative post graduate programme sanctioned by the University Grants Commission, viz., Master of Fisheries Science (MFSc) in Seafood Safety and Trade since 2012. This four-semester course, with an intake of 25, has been framed so as to provide manpower specialised in managerial skills in seafood trade along with technical expertise in ensuring quality assurance, and food safety principles in seafood. This programme provides training in areas related to seafood business at par with world class institutions. The course also aims at extending state of the art research opportunities in emerging vistas related to post harvest technology of fish, seafood trade, food safety management systems and international trade. National Institute for Fisheries Post Harvest Technology and Training (NIFPHATT) and Seafood Exporters Association of India are collaborating with the school in the execution of this programme.
RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
The school has been pursuing research and development activities in contemporary and confronting issues in aquaculture and fisheries. Active research has been accomplished during past four decades in thrust areas like sustainable aquaculture productions, production of fin fish and shellfish through improved farming strategies, cage culture, captive breeding, organic farming and ornamental fish breeding and farming. The school has developed research partnerships with many countries in frontier areas of fisheries sciences such as aquaculture, capture fisheries, harvest and post-harvest technology, fisheries management and fisheries economics. At present, the school has been engaged in bio-floc technology, aquaponic systems, side stream valorization, ornamental fish trade, energy management in seafood processing, industry 4.0, sustainable fisheries management, etc. At present, more than 30 doctoral scholars and post doc scholars actively engage in research, spearheading serious research activities in the school. Besides, the school boasts of high academic collaborations with national research institutions and universities.


THRUST AREAS OF RESEARCH
- Aquaculture, molecular taxonomy and fishery biology
- Fish harvest technology and fisheries resource management
- Fish processing technology, seafood safety, value addition and waste valorization
- Ornamental fisheries, fish marketing, fish business management, consumer behaviour and international trade of seafood
- Coastal zone management; livelihood, socio-economic impact of climate change, sustainable fisheries management etc.
The School of Industrial Fisheries has excellent research laboratories in:
- Fish Processing
- Food safety
- Fish biochemistry & quality assurance
- Aquaculture
- Fishery biology
- Fishing craft & gear technology
- Microbiology
- Fish & shrimp hatchery
- Fish & shrimp culture ponds
- Ornamental fish breeding facility
- Research boat MB Indfish
CREATING PROFESSIONALS FOR FISHERIES SECTOR
The school is now recognised as a premier national institution for fishery science & technology education in the country attracting international student enrolment. For the past 48 years, the school has been engaged in developing manpower for various facets of fisheries sector. Leading seafood, aquaculture and food industries, fish/ food trade and marketing firms around the globe have been recruiting postgraduates from the school for their middle and top-level managerial positions. The alumni of the school are making praiseworthy contributions by holding significant positions in seafood business and aquaculture industries around the globe.


Right from the school’s inception, industrial training has been an integral part of academic curricula in both its postgraduate programmes. The first post graduate fisheries program, MSc in Industrial Fisheries, was envisaged to give six months rigorous training in seafood processing industrial units and aquaculture industry, which later was reduced to two months, abiding by academic regulations. However, thanks to the multidisciplinary expertise derived from academic pursuit in science, technology and management, the students from the school are well accepted by these fisheries industry units which offer them placements as they complete their industrial training period itself.
The school’s alumni have been contributing immensely to the re-moulding of the syllabi of the school as they could well comprehend the changes in requirements and demands by the fishing industry and administrative bodies. Most distinguished alumni recurrently visit the school and participate in its technical, training and research initiatives. During the last decade, the school conducted a prestigious ‘alumni back-strapping’ programme whereby distinguished alumni shared their expertise with the new generations. Their relentless support helped the school to organise international conferences, exhibitions and events of academic importance. Taking forward the legacy, the school has initiated a new programme, the ‘Industry connect’ programme, which envisages providing platform for the school’s students to interact with successful businessmen of the seafood industry. This year, as part of ‘Industry connect’, chief executive officers of Fresh to Home and Tasty Nibbles interacted with the school’s students.
The faculty members of the school, with expertise in various avenues of fisheries, have served in several honorable positions in governmental and non-governmental organisations. They have been exposed to excellent opportunities for contextually-relevant fisheries research. Their expertise enabled them to offer consultancies in multi-disciplinary areas of fisheries and to take up projects that benefited industries and societies at large. The school boasts a rich tradition of organising several scientific conferences of national and international repute. Considering the importance of sustainable ornamental fisheries, the school organised an international conference on ‘Sustainable Ornamental Fisheries: Way Forward’. The conference served as a platform for stakeholders in Indian ornamental fisheries like aquarium fish breeders and channel members, administrators, policymakers, fishery managers, scientists, academicians, conservationists and NGOS to share their expertise with international experts.


Recently, the school also organised an international conference on the ‘Impact of climate change on hydrological cycle, ecosystem, fisheries and nutritional security’ (ClimFishCon 2020). Besides, 11 technical sessions on focal theme, ‘Climate effective adaptations for a secure future’, one special workshop on climate change and wetlands, stakeholders’ conclave and ClimFishCon Expo 2020 were highlights of the conference. Fruitful deliberations from 22 keynote addresses, 41 invited presentations and around 150 contributed papers by delegates from 12 countries, made the conference memorable.
Besides, the school has been spearheading several societal outreach programmes, like organising conferences, seminars, training programmes and exhibitions. The school was among the pioneers in organising the ‘Aqua Show’, an exhibition of capture fisheries and ornamental fishes in the Eighties at Cochin, that attracted thousands of people of the city. Showcasing these strengths, the School of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin University of Science and Technology is considered one of the country’s sought-after destinations for fisheries education.
*Dr S Sabu is the Director of the School of Industrial Fisheries – CUSAT, where Dr M Harikrishnan is a Senior Professor.