Fish, being a highly perishable commodity, demands proper post-harvest management and refrigeration, or ice to improve and maintain its safety and quality. The study articulates the adoption level of hygienic practices of fishermen in selected fish landing centres of South Andaman district, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The socioeconomic parameters publicize that the average age observed among the fishermen of south Andaman district as 41.18±7.080 years, education as6.68±2.898 class, experience in fishing as10.97±4.868 years, investment per voyage as Rs. 9705.6±726.3, number of working days per year as 308.22±18.57 days, family status as5.10±2.403 members and annual income as Rs. 89033±12683. The adoption of hygienic practices by fishermen was also determined by analysing the nine hygienic practices. The socio-economic profile of fishermen of the selected landing centre and their adoption of hygienic practices was found out to have no correlation except in the investment per voyage and number of working days. The ‘F’ value analysed in multiple regression analysis enunciate the overall significance of influence of nine independent variables when taken together in explaining the extent of adoption of good hygienic practices by the fish marketing personnel. The R2 value showed that the nine variables selected together explained59per cent of variation in the adoption level. The major problems perceived by the fishermen were insufficient loan, lack of subsidy on fishing gear material and lack of subsidy on diesel. The study recommends the need for proper training on hygienic practices that have to be adopted by the fishermen.

Keyword: Fish handling practices; Fishermen; Hygiene; Cold storage; Andaman and Nicobar Island;