Context: This article is based on the news “NITI Aayog hosted National Workshop on “Harnessing the Potential of Fisheries in Marine States” which was published in the PIB. NITI Aayog has recently hosted a National Workshop on “Harnessing Potential of Fisheries in the Marine States” in collaboration with the Government of Kerala and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) – Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) in Kochi, Kerala. 

Addressing Challenges and Promoting Sustainability in the Fisheries Sector of India: NITI Aayog

• Deliberation on Critical Aspects of Marine Fisheries: The key stakeholders from Central and State Governments, Researchers, Industry Representatives and practitioners deliberated upon critical aspects of realizing India’s vast marine fisheries.
  • Such as sustainability practices, export competitiveness, infrastructure gaps and livelihood challenges facing India’s marine fishing industry across states. 
• NITI Aayog applauded the achievement of Andhra Pradesh in the fisheries sector and emphasized the need to address the regional disparities in terms of production and productivity in marine fisheries.

About Fisheries Sector in India

• Fishery Sector in India: India is the world’s second-largest aquaculture nation and the third-largest fish producer after China. 
  • The total fish production in the country rose from 0.75 million tonnes in 1950-51 to 14.16 million tonnes in 2019-20, an average annual growth rate of about 8 percent. 
  • The Indian Blue Revolution has led to a major improvement in the fishing and aquaculture industries. 
• Marine Fisheries Resources: They are spread along the country’s vast coastline of over 8,000 km with 0.53 million square km of Continental Shelf and 2.02 million square km of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
• Maritime States and UTs: The 9 maritime States are Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Goa and 4 maritime Union Territories UTs) are Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Puducherry, Lakshadweep Islands and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. 

Potential of Marine States in India’s Fisheries Sector

• Improving Fishermen’s Income: Marine fisheries are a promising sector contributing to income with variable production having a very strong influence on the increase in the income of fishermen. 
  • The total fisheries potential of India has been estimated at 22.31 million metric tons, of this, the marine fisheries potential stands at an estimated 5.31 million metric tons, tapping this potential may help in doubling fishermen’s income by 2025. 
• Boosting Seafood Exports: The industry is regarded as a sunrise sector and is anticipated to have a big impact on the Indian economy. 
  • In 2021-22, the country exported 1.36 million MT of seafood worth US $ 7.76 billion which is an all-time high export by value.
  • The PMMSY lays out ambitious goals for FY 2025, doubling exports to US$ 12.28 billion.
• Providing Employment Opportunities:  Fisheries is a fast-growing sector in India, which provides employment to more than 28 million people. Growth and development of fishery sector has huge potential to provide employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in many fields such as capture and culture fishery activities, fish processing, cold chain, etc.
  • For instance, for putting India in the forefront for ornamental fisheries, government is making efforts for holistic development of the sector through creation of ornamental fish clusters in marine areas. FY 2022-23 investment of Rs 189.14 crores has been made towards development of Ornamental fisheries sector under PMMSY
• Ensuring Nutritional Security: Fish has an important role to play in nutrition and food security. Fish is ‘nature’s superfood’ and an important source of proteins and healthy fats, source of essential nutrients including omega-3 fatty acids, iodine, vitamin D, and calcium. 
  • Fish, being an affordable and rich source of animal protein is one of the healthiest options to mitigate hunger and malnutrition.

Marine States in India: Examining the Fisheries Sector and its Associated Challenges

• Marine Fisheries Management: It faces several challenges such as open access fishery property rights systems, weaknesses in several aspects of the state and national level legal and policy frameworks, low state government capacity for monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) and knowledge gaps regarding the sustainability of key fish stocks. 
• Infrastructure Gaps:  Inadequate cold chain facilities can lead to post-harvest losses. The post-harvest management in the marine fisheries sector suffers from inadequate infrastructure in landing centers and fishing harbors such as a lack of cold storage facilities, logistic facilities, etc. 
• Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events: Marine fisheries sectors across the globe are going through challenging times due to climate change issues, change in ocean temperature and the current rate of marine biodiversity loss due to exploitative fishing practices. 
  • For instance, in Kerala, marine fish production declined in 2019-20 and 2020-21, mostly due to the rough weather at sea.
• Conflicts between India and Neighbouring Countries: This conflict primarily arises from fishermen’s violations of national jurisdiction while pursuing fish as they lack navigational devices to forewarn them of trespassing their jurisdiction. 
  • Problem between India and Pakistan: Fishermen in Okha in Gujarat accidentally trespassing on Indian jurisdiction being caught by Pakistan’s navy patrols.
  • Problem between India- Sri Lanka: Tamil problem is causing tensions as fishermen in Rameshwaram are being caught by the Sri Lankan navy.
• Vulnerability to External Shocks: External factors such as natural disasters or disease outbreaks can impact livelihoods. 
• Deep Sea Trawling: This bottom trawling is done with some gears that can harm the marine life as it is a method that is infamous for catching huge number of fishes as well as disrupting sea life. Sharks, Sea turtles and coral reef are the most vulnerable victims which also damages tourism. 
  • Deep sea trawling is famous in the Palk strait located between the India and Sri Lanka, where, for every 3 km there are approximately 2000 trawlers operating.
• Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing: Within India, IUU fishing typically has been viewed as a non-traditional security concern that includes food and economic security, as well as broader societal and political issues. 
  • IUU fishing activities push illegal activities like human trafficking and smuggling of drugs and arms in fishing vessels.  
• Other Challenges: Waste management, exploitation of middlemen, the drudgery of fisherwomen engaged in the processing sector, certification and traceability, etc. are other factors limiting the growth of the marine fisheries sector in the country.

Government Initiatives for the Fisheries Sector

• Marine Fisheries Management: Fisheries are state subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Fishing and fisheries beyond territorial waters are on the Union list.
• Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Scheme (PMMSY): The scheme aims to address significant productivity and production gaps in the fisheries sector, infuse innovation and cutting-edge technology, etc. 
  • It lays out ambitious goals for 2025, including increasing fish production by 70 lakh MT, increasing aquaculture productivity from the current national average of 3 tonnes per Ha to 5 tonnes per Ha, doubling exports from Rs. 46,589 crore (US$ 5.72 billion) to Rs. 100,000 crore (US$ 12.28 billion), creating more than 55 lakh job opportunities, and doubling fishers’ and fish farmers’ incomes to consolidate the fisheries’ sectoral gains and boost economic growth.
• National Fisheries Policy, 2020: The Government has decided to introduce a comprehensive and integrated ‘National Fisheries Policy, 2020’ by integrating the National Policy on Marine Fisheries, 2017 (NPMF), the Draft National Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy (NIFAP) and the Draft National Mariculture Policy (NMP) along with the Elements of Post Harvest.
• Sagar Parikrama: It is a journey in the sea across the coastal belt demonstrating solidarity with all fish farmers and concerned stakeholders as a spirit of 75th Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. 
  • During the event, certificates related to PMMSY, Kisan Credit Card & State Scheme are awarded to the progressive fishermen, especially coastal fishermen.
• International Support: The World Bank approved USD 150 million in funding to support the recovery of India’s fisheries sector In 2020-21. The sector saw losses of about $5.5 billion and fish production fell almost 40% in one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• State Specific Initiative: 
  • Andhra Pradesh Fisheries Policy 2015: It envisages improving fish and prawn production and aims to reach 2nd position in the World in shrimp production. 

Continue To Read: National Scheme of Welfare of Fishermen, Eligibility, Benefits, Objective And More

Way Forward to the India’s Fisheries Sector

• Sustainable Fisheries Practices: Encourage and promote sustainable fishing practices to ensure the long-term health of marine ecosystems. This can involve implementing regulations, adopting eco-friendly fishing methods, and promoting responsible harvesting.
  • For instance, regulations like the Kerala Marine Fishing Regulation Act (KMFRA) were amended to strictly regulate the fisheries sector, such as preventing juvenile fishing. This led to an increase of 26% in marine capture in 2018-19.
  • Sustainable fishing practices like protected areas and no-take zones where fishing is restricted or prohibited, implementing seasonal closures etc. allowing fish populations to recover, and protecting critical habitats and breeding grounds.
• Infrastructure Development: Address infrastructure gaps in the marine fisheries sector by investing in developing cold chain facilities, upgrading landing centers, and improving fishing harbors. Adequate infrastructure is crucial for reducing post-harvest losses and enhancing the overall efficiency of the sector.
  • For instance, schemes like PMMSY aim to address significant productivity and production gaps in the fisheries sector by enhancing post-harvest infrastructure and management. 
• Climate Resilience: Incorporate the growing reality of climate change into proactive fisheries management planning and update fisheries management to implement better emergency actions for necessary adjustments in response to unpredicted environmental events.
  • This may include developing strategies and measures to address the impact of climate change and extreme weather events, including early warning systems and climate-resilient infrastructure.
• Diversification and Value Addition: Encourage diversification in the fisheries sector by promoting activities such as ornamental fisheries. Additionally, supports value addition through improved processing techniques, certification, and traceability, which can enhance the export competitiveness of Indian seafood.
• Technology Adoption: Promote technology adoption in marine fisheries, including using advanced aquaculture techniques. Technology can improve productivity, reduce environmental impact, and attract more youth to venture into the fisheries sector, etc.
  • For instance, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) combined with other technology like NavIC or GPS can be utilized with fishing vessels to reduce the instance of international trespassing and for improved spatial areas management where fishermen are assigned the rights to harvest. 
• Providing Subsidies to Fishermen: The subsidies can be direct and indirect. Direct subsidies include those for the purchase of vessels, gear, engines, etc. Indirect subsidies include financial assistance through welfare schemes, construction of ports, fishing harbours etc. 

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