Kochi: A two-day national workshop on 'Fishery Harbours: Current status and future management concerns,' will be held on June 24 and 25 at Bharat Hotel here.

The workshop is an initiative of Protsahan, a Thiruvananthapuram-based NGO, with the involvement of National Institute of Ocean Technology, Chennai, and Harbour Engineering Department, Kerala.

According to the organising committee convener Monto Mani, the workshop will discuss the vital role that fishing harbours and landing centres play in planned fisheries development, reflected in the significant share allocated to them in all plan outlays.

"With the rapid changes in fishing technologies there are increasing demands for the construction of new harbours and landing centres from all the coastal states. The export of fish and fish products has also increased over the years but India's competitive edge in the international market is subject to the compliance and observation of international trade requirements. These issues will also come up for discussion at the workshop," said Mani.

Another issue to be discussed is the proposed move to enforce labour standards for fishing crew in view of the mounting consumer pressure around the world to maintain environmental standards in the harvesting and marketing of fish.

The workshop will make policy recommendations on how best fishery harbours can be effectively managed.Fisheries minister K V Thomas will inaugurate the workshop. Former Fisheries Development Commissioner P C George will preside over the function.Senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery Survey of India (Mumbai), Central Institute of Coastal Engineering of Fishery (CICEF - Bangalore), National Institute of Port Management (Chennai), Department of Ocean Development, Central institute of Fisheries Technology (Kochi), Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute and representatives of various association of fish workers, boat operators and seafood exporters will participate in the discussions.

The workshop is expected to come up with policy recommendations to the Central and State Governments on the development and management of fishery harbours and landing centres, Mani added.