The sustainable management of our natural resources is one of the most challenging issues facing the modern world. The decline in global fish stocks, over exploitation of marine as well as freshwater fishery resources for use in livestock and poultry feeds, endangering of species through ecological threats, pollutants and habitat destructions are now issues of both national as well as international concern. These pose a serious threat to fish supply and while natural levels of fish stock continue to decline, human demand for seafood continue to grow at an alarming rate. As a result, the requirement for the production of farmed or cultured fish is expected to rise sharply in the new millennium.

The rapidly growing fisheries and aquaculture industry both in India, South Asia as well as other regions of the world requires graduate and post-graduates with a combination of relevant biological, technical, managerial and marketing skills.

The academic programs at the department of Aquaculture, Fisheries and Biochemistry at St. Albert’s College emphasizes the integration of knowledge and skills from these fields. These courses provide a foundation for a career in a number of key areas including local, national as well as international agencies, private companies and the Government. It will also provide students with opportunities to develop a career in academia and research.

Why Cochin? »

St. Albert’s College accredited with Five Stars by the National Accreditation and Assessment Council is located in the heart of the city of Kochi in Kerala State. Kochi is a much visited tourist destinations and has earned a place for itself in the tourism map of the world. Popularly known as the “Queen of the Arabian Sea”, the city has a strong maritime tradition and is home to a thriving and established fisheries industry.

Kochi is also home to the headquarters of top fisheries research and development organizations of the country like the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Integrated Fisheries Project (formerly the Indo-Norwegian Fisheries Project), apart from research centers of National Institute of Oceanography (NIO).

In addition, the presence of academic and research institutes like the School of Industrial Fisheries, School of Marine Sciences and the Center for Fish Disease diagnosis and Management of the Cochin University of Science and Technology, School of Fisheries of the Kerala Agricultural University make Kochi the most appropriate city in India to study a fisheries related course. The Kochi fishery harbour is one of the major fish landing centers of South India, where 2186 fishing vessels, which include trawlers, motorboats and conventional crafts, operate.

An estimated 150 fish and shellfish processing and export houses are located in and around Kochi. Recently a state of the art aquaculture feed mill has been set up in collaboration with a Japanese firm. Such a prime center surrounded by so many academic, research, industrial and fish processing units is not found anywhere in India other than at Kochi.