Kochi to host first World Ocean Science Congress from Feb 5

Sustainable means to utilise ocean resources without causing damage to them and their marine life would come up for deliberations during the four-day World Ocean Science Congress-2015, beginning here on Thursday.
Eminent oceanographers, naval exponents, environmentalists and maritime industrialists from across the world will attend the event to be inaugurated by Kerala Governor P Sathasivam.
Union Minister of State for Agriculture Mohanbhai Kalyanjibhai Kundariya will also participate in the congress while state Fisheries, Ports and Excise Minister K Babu will preside over the function.
The World Ocean Science Congress (WOSC), being jointly organised by Swadeshi Science Movement, Vijnana Bharati, Kerala chapter and Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Kochi, will have four plenary sessions, 13 technical sessions, exhibitions, a round table on shipping and ocean resources, besides a national fishermen's meet.

"Around 1,000 delegates from the country and abroad are expected to participate in the event," said Dr V N Sanjeevan, Secretary-General, WOSC-2015.
The meet was expected to discuss ways and means to use ocean resources for improving our GDP without disrupting the ocean life and environment, he added.

The Congress is essentially a conglomeration of ocean scientists, technocrats, academia, industry, exporters, experts from fisheries and defence sectors, policymakers, legal experts, and shipping companies, KUFOS Vice Chancellor and WOSC-2015 Chair Dr B Madhusoodana Kurup said.
It will be a platform for the experts to discuss scientific, cultural, business, environmental, and climatic aspects related to oceans, Swadeshi Science Movement Secretary Prof Gireesh Kumar said.

Fishermen societies, Research and Development divisions of Indian Space Research Organisation, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Defence Research and Development Organisation, and the Ministry of Earth Sciences as well as Indian Navy, Coast Guard, Marine Products Export Development Authority and shipping companies are partners of WOSC.