♦ India and Seychelles held a bilateral meeting in New Delhi to expand cooperation in fisheries, aquaculture, and the blue economy. The talks were led by Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary of the Department of Fisheries, and H.E. Mr. Wallace Cosgrow, Seychelles’ Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Blue Economy. 

♦ The two sides discussed a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding focused on fisheries and aquaculture. The agenda included marine aquaculture, also called mariculture, modern hatchery development, tuna fisheries optimisation, and fish stock assessment.

♦ Mariculture is the cultivation of marine organisms in seawater, and hatcheries are facilities where fish seed or larvae are produced under controlled conditions. Fish stock assessment is a scientific method used to estimate the size, structure, and sustainability of fish populations.

♦ The blue economy refers to the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic activity, fisheries, transport, tourism, and marine conservation. India and Seychelles discussed expansion of the tuna value chain, including processing capacity, product diversification, and fish-waste management.