Capacity need assessment in fisheries to respond emerging challenges

Fisheries and aquaculture sector acts as an essential sources of food, nutrition, income and livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people around the world. Development of fisheries sector is closely associated with the capability of the fishers understanding and adoption of new and improved technologies. Fishers need to be provided with timely, relevant and practical information; this is done by the extension agencies. The full potential of fisheries has yet to be realized due to the lack of proper management, adequate policy support and regular assessment of fisheries departments where the fishers are primarily depending on. The present study made an attempt to identify the existing capacity and extension gaps in the fisheries sector as it is of prime importance to design appropriate capacity development programme. The study concluded that every effort aimed at the capacity development should begin with an assessment of existing capacity and desired capacity at the individual, organizational and enabling environment level.