FLASH NEWS
On 17 December 2025, the Small Pelagic Purse Seine Fisheries – Karnataka State Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) participated in a virtual coordination meeting with IFFO to discuss its involvement in the proposed India-wide socio-economic study on the marine ingredients sector. The meeting was hosted by Ms. Véronique Jamin, Communications and External Relations Director at IFFO, who presented the objectives and framework of the study being developed under the Global Roundtable on Marine Ingredients (GRT). The Karnataka State FIP joined the discussion to explore opportunities for contributing field-level insights and stakeholder linkages from the small pelagic purse seine sector in Karnataka.
During the meeting, it was highlighted that the socio-economic study will be conducted in collaboration with the Dakshin Foundation and will focus on understanding livelihoods, labor conditions, value-chain dynamics, and community dependence on marine ingredients production in India. The study is expected to cover key coastal states where marine ingredient-related FIPs are active, including Karnataka, thereby providing an opportunity for the Karnataka State FIP to contribute data, facilitate stakeholder engagement, and support on-ground research activities. Participation in this study aligns closely with the FIP’s ongoing work on social risk assessments, stakeholder consultations, and responsible sourcing initiatives within the purse seine fishery.
The meeting was attended on behalf of the Karnataka State FIP by Mr. Udaya Kumar Salian, Lead – Small Pelagic Purse Seine Fisheries, and Dr. Nimnual Piewthongngam, FIP Coordinator, along with Dr. Nicola Clark, Impacts Manager at MarinTrust. The Karnataka State FIP welcomed the initiative and expressed its willingness to actively support the study by sharing learnings from its implementation experience and facilitating engagement with fishermen, vessel owners, and associations. This participation marks an important step toward integrating socio-economic evidence into sustainability frameworks, ensuring that improvement efforts in the small pelagic purse seine fisheries of Karnataka address not only environmental performance but also livelihoods, equity, and long-term community resilience.