Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Dec 13: Fisheries College in the city has taken a step forward in realizing the determination of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who announced blue economy to the coastal region of Karnataka, by planning to establish bio-tech innovation centre to study on the biological resource available in the sea.

The research centre will study the feasibility of producing new food products from the fish and ocean plants that are available on sea bed. If everything goes as per plan, the centre will be ready in a month’s time.

Representational image

In overseas countries, new products are manufactured from the biological resource available in the sea. Their contribution in medicine and other sectors is commendable. However, in India the research is still limping in this field.

The centre will consists of 4200 square feet incubation centre. It will have laboratory, training centre and office. In three years, 100 start ups will be set up. These start-ups will get monetary aid also.

The centre will work on developing new products from weed available on sea bed, manufacturing of high quality fish products, research on many chemicals that are used in industries, research and manufacturing on feed for animals, research on bio-fuel and desalination of salt water.

The centre will begin with the Rs six crore aid given under Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS) by the state government of Karnataka. This centre will be built under the model of Marine Biotech centre mentioned in the Blue economy policy of ministry of geology of union government.

Dr Shivakumar Magada, dean of the Fisheries College, said, “The decision of establishing sea biological resource centre with the participation of various organizations, including central fisheries technology institute of Cochin, is in final stages of approval by the government. Opportunities for research on new food from plants in sea and start up establishment will be available.”