EXTENSION SERVICE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE EFFECTIVE TRANSFER OF FISHERIES TECHNOLOGIES

1. Title : Extension service requirements for the effective transfer of fisheries technologies 2. Name : K. Arivukkarasu 3. Degree : M.F. Sc. (Fisheries Extension) 4. Chairman : Dr. N.V. Sujathkumar 5. Department : Department of Fisheries Extension 6. College : Fisheries College and Research Institute 7. Year and University : 2005, Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai Fisheries is one of the important types of renewable resources which play an important role in the economic development of the nation. They contribute not only a cheap supply of animal protein to the nation but also foreign exchange earnings. In order to increase fisheries production continuously, a major change in the attitude, knowledge and skills of the fishermen is required. The fishermen must break away from traditional attitudes and methods in favour of more objective attitudes and scientific methods, which would be achieved through mass education. The present study was carried out to find out extension service requirements for the effective transfer of fisheries technologies in Thoothukudi district. The fishing villages namely, Thoothukudi South, Punnakkayal, Alanthalai and Periyathalai were selected for the study based on the number of crafts, gears and population. One hundred and twenty fisherfolk were selected randomly from the selected villages and the data were collected through interview schedule and analysed with statistical tools. Among the technologies selected about 74 per cent of the respondents were aware of the technologies and most of them possessed medium level of knowledge (80.83%) on the selected fisheries technologies. About 45 per cent of the fisherfolk adopted the selected technologies while 54.54 per cent of them did not adopt it. Among the seven extension services, training, demonstration, on-thespot guidance, use of mass media and advisory services were mostly needed for effective transfer of fisheries technologies. Training (80.68 %) was the best method for transfer of fisheries technologies. Demonstration (76.38%) and on-the-spot guidance (66.20%) were the second and third best methods for the transfer of fisheries technologies to the fisherfolk respectively. Use of mass media (63.42%) and advisory services (49.22%) was also effective in disseminating the technologies. Most of the respondents indicated that exhibition (61.77 %) and mid-term and shortterm courses (66.62%) were not required for technology transfer. Lack of credit facilities (93.33 %), lack of extension teaching aids (93.33 %), lack of training and demonstration programmes (90.83%), lack of scientific know-how (85 %), lack of contact between fisherfolk and extension workers (75%), lack of technical guidance (73.33 %), inadequate extension staff (69.16%), improper running of Fishermen Cooperative Societies (65.83%), untrained extension personnel (64.16%) and lack of fisheries publications (60.83%) were perceived by the fisherfolk as the major constraints in the extension services which could affect the transfer of fisheries technologies effectively for adoption by the fisherfolk.