India’s marine fisheries sector is nearing its maximum capture yield, yet small-scale fishers face deep inequities. With biodiversity loss, juvenile fishing, and bycatch issues mounting, sustainable and equitable management is the urgent need of the hour.

Current Scenario: Growth Without Equity

• Annual Marine Catch: India harvests 3–4 million tonnes of marine catch annually.
• Skewed Workforce Share: Small-scale fishers (90% of the workforce) capture only 10% of the total catch.
• Widespread Poverty: Three-quarters of fisher families live below the poverty line.
• Tech Inefficiency: Technological upgrades increase costs without improving catch significantly.

Ecological Damage Through Bycatch and Trawling

• Trawling Bycatch Crisis: In trawling, for every 1 kg of shrimp, over 10 kg of bycatch is discarded.
• Biodiversity Loss: Bycatch includes juveniles and non-target species, often dead or dying.
• Habitat Destruction: Shrimp trawling damages marine biodiversity, reefs, and food webs.

Juvenile Fishing and Mesh Size Issues

• Sub-legal Mesh Sizes: Mesh sizes <25 mm allow sub-legal fish into nets, reducing spawning stock biomass.
• Species at Risk: Species like sardine and mackerel face long-term or irreversible declines.
• Global Collapse Lessons: Global precedents (e.g., Canada’s cod crash, California sardines) show the risk of collapse.

Regulatory Fragmentation and Loopholes

• Disjointed Laws: Each coastal State/UT has its own Marine Fisheries Regulation Act (MFRA).
• Loophole Exploitation: Disparate rules enable fishers to land juveniles across state lines.
• Weak Enforcement: Conservation efforts are undermined by inconsistent enforcement.

Need for National Standardisation

• India should pursue:
  • Harmonised catch limits and minimum legal sizes (MLS)
  • Uniform gear restrictions and closed seasons
  • A unified national framework integrating science-based management

Global Models: Lessons from New Zealand

• Science-Based Models: New Zealand’s Quota Management System (QMS) uses science-based total allowable catches.
• Balanced Stakeholder Rights: QMS balances commercial, recreational, and customary rights with stock health.
• Pilot Scope in India: A similar pilot system in India could benefit mechanised fleets.

Domestic Success Stories and FMFO Challenge

• MLS Success Story: Kerala’s minimum legal size (MLS) for threadfin bream raised catches by 41% in one season.
• FMFO Industry Incentives: The fish-meal and fish-oil (FMFO) industry incentivises bycatch collection.
• Reform Recommendations:
  • Cap FMFO quotas
  • Mandate onboard release of juveniles
  • Redirect bycatch for local aquaculture

Multi-Level Action Needed

• Centre’s Role: The Central government must shift to ecosystem-based regulation, optimise licensing and subsidies.
• State Role: States should improve enforcement with patrols and tech-based reporting.
• Community Participation: Empower cooperatives as co-managers of marine sanctuaries.
• Consumer Action: Consumers should support sustainably sourced, legally sized seafood only.

Conclusion

India’s fisheries are at a turning point. With the right mix of science, policy, and community action, we can secure both marine biodiversity and livelihoods, ensuring equitable prosperity and food security for future generations.