The Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) is the only technology Institute in India which caters to the entire spectrum of fisheries from harvest to post-harvest operations including harvesting systems, quality assurance, post-harvest handling, preservation, processing and product development, waste utilisation, value addition, packaging and transportation. 

CIFT has maintained close relations with the fishing and fish processing industries right from its inception. The Institute has received the prestigious Sardar Patel Award for the best ICAR Institute in the year 2000 and again in 2006. Technologies developed by the Institute have played a vital role in modernising the harvest and post harvest fishery sectors of India and making it a major exporter of processed fish and fish products. The Institute has NABL accreditation and has been recognized as a Referral Lab in fish and fishery products for both export and import items.

CIFT focuses on basic, strategic and applied research in fishing and fish processing; development of designs for fuel efficient fishing vessels and fishing gear for responsible fishing; development of technologies for commercial isolation of bioactive compounds and industrially important products from fish and fishery wastes; design of innovative implements and machineries for fishing and fish processing and pilot plants for facilitating commercialization of technologies developed; packaging systems for fish and fishery products; advanced research in food safety in fish and fishery products; and training and consultancy services in fishing and fish processing. 

In recent years, the Institute has given much focus on development of conservation technologies to facilitate utilisation of fishery resources on a long term sustainable basis, minimisation of biodiversity loss and conservation of energy use in harvest and post-harvest operations in fisheries.

One of the major areas of research of the Institute is in the fish harvest sector with projects focused on design and development of crafts and gear for marine and inland water systems. Special emphasis has been laid on identification of substitutes for expensive and scarce wood used for construction of boats, fuel saving devices for operation of fishing vessels, eco-friendly technologies for responsible fishing and low-energy fishing technologies for traditional sector.

CIFT also supports the fishing industry by providing the standards for netting, netting yarn and netting twine used for fishing and standardization of fishing gear accessories. The Institute has facilitated technology development and adoption in the areas such as modernization of Indian fishing fleet, fuel efficient fishing vessels, low-cost and durable substitutes for conventional craft materials, protection of fishing vessels, energy saving concepts in trawling, harvest technologies for responsible fishing, bycatch reduction devices, turtle excluder device, low energy and eco-friendly harvest technologies for the traditional sector, inland fishing techniques, popularization of advanced technology in fisheries  and monitoring of fisheries environment; harvesting systems non-conventional resources such as myctophids.

In the post harvest sector, the Institute lays stress on complete utilization of resources and includes in its ambit handling and preservation right from harvesting, value addition, waste management and quality assurance. CIFT had supported the nascent fish processing industry of the country by developing technologies for preservation and processing of almost all commercially important varieties of fish like shrimp, squid, cuttlefish, lobster tails, pomfrets, mackerel, sardines, crab, clam, mussel, oyster and other seafood.

Important areas of technology development include water usage and effluent treatment in seafood processing  practices for minimization of waste; value added fish products and specialty products; utilisation of small sized low value fish and fish processing waste; fish based convenience products; fish processing equipment; sensors and measurement systems for fisheries and environmental applications; products of biomedical significance from fish waste such as chitin, chitosan, glucosamine hydrochloride, fish hydrolysate and  fish gelatin; development of high pressure processing, pulsed light technologies; value-chain approach to utilisation of small pelagics, freshwater fishes, oceanic tuna resources and oceanic squid resources.

CIFT plays a vital role in development and implementation of quality and food safety standards in the fishing and fish processing industry. Its efforts are also directed towards development of rapid methods for assessing microbial hazards. The institute is responsible for development and implementation of HACCP in the seafood value chain in India. The scientists of the Institute function as members of the Inter Departmental Panel (IDP) for clearing processing units for export to EU countries.

Regular and on-demand training are conducted on responsible fishing, fish processing, value addition, packaging and quality control systems for seafood. The Institute has been making every effort to empower the weaker sections of society including the fishermen, fisherwomen, the rural poor and the financially backward community, through training and technology transfer.

CIFT has the capacity to meet any challenge faced by the industry in all fields related to fisheries due to its strength of trained and experienced team of Scientists well supported by Technical and supporting staff. The success of CIFT is because of dedication and hard work by its staff.

Today, contributions in three vital areas, viz., nutritional security, employment generation and foreign exchange earnings have made fisheries a vibrant section of Indian economy. CIFT has an increasingly vital role to play in the emerging fisheries scenario. Let us all work together to meet the challenges ahead and bring our Institute to newer heights in addressing these responsibilities.
                                                                    

                                                                                Dr. T.K. Srinivasa Gopal

                                                                                 Acting Director