According to the Union Minister for Agriculture K.V. Thomas,  modern harbours, landing centres and markets would be set up across the country within a stipulated time. Addressing a press conference at the Central Institute of Fisheries and Nautical Engineering Training (CIFNET) on Monday, Mr. Thomas said that the Union government would provide necessary funds for these projects. He was briefing the media about a review meeting held earlier about the fisheries activities being undertaken in the Southern States.

The country needed these modern facilities for two reasons.

1. Modernising and more importantly because the European Union and other countries taking our fisheries products have put some stringent conditions to be met.
2. To study the working of these facilities abroad teams at the State government level would be sent at different stages.

Union Fisheries Joint Secretary Tarun Sridhar, who was also present, said that in the first phase harbours which were significant from the point of view of exports had been identified for upgradation and modernisation. One harbour each in Kochi, Orissa, Gujarat and Maharashtra would be upgraded to match the global standards initially.

Mr. Thomas said that all such proposed modern projects would have to get the approval of the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), which would impart the technical expertise. In the case of developing modern harbours the Union government would provide hundred per cent finance, instead of the prevailing cost sharing ratio of 75:25 between the Union government and the State government concerned. The meeting discussed the doubts raised about the proposed Marine Fisheries (Regulation and Management) Act.