An MoU was signed between CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR-NIO), Goa, and the Department of Fisheries, Government of Odisha, by Prof. Sunil Kumar Singh, Director, CSIR-NIO, Goa and Md Sadique Alam (IAS), Director, Department of Fisheries, Govt of Odisha, in the presence of Shri Suresh Kumar Vashishth (IAS), Principal Secretary ARD, Govt of Odisha.

The collaboration was part of the state-sponsored event ‘Matsya- Pranee Samavesh Odisha-2024’, a three-day programme held at Bhubaneswar from 16-18 February 2024. The MoU is the initiation of a programme for the development and deployment of artificial reefs along the Odisha coast to promote marine fisheries and biodiversity. This project will be implemented under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) scheme at approximately INR 29 crores. The project shall be executed via a multidisciplinary scientific approach by CSIR-NIO.