WORLD FISHERIES DAY AND FISHERIES SECTOR IN INDIA
CONTEXT
- Recently, GOI celebrated World Fisheries Day on 21 Nov to demonstrate solidarity with all fisher folk, fish farmers and concerned stakeholders throughout the world.
- The event aims to draw attention to overfishing, habitat destruction and other serious threats to the sustainability of our marine and inland resources.
- The celebrations serve to focus on changing the way the world manages global fisheries to ensure sustainable stocks and healthy ecosystems.
FISHERIES SECTOR IN INDIA
- The share of fisheries sector in the total GDP (at current prices) is 1.03% in 2017-18
- The sector has been showing a steady growth in the total Gross Value Added and accounts for about 6.58 per cent share of Agricultural GDP.
- Contributors of foreign exchange earnings – The marine exports stand at about 5% of total exports of India and constitute 23 % of Agri-exports (2017-18)
- India has rich and diverse fisheries resources ranging from deep seas to lakes, ponds, rivers and more than 10% of the global biodiversity in terms of fish and shellfish species
- Increasing contribution from inland fisheries – Aquaculture production has increased to 6.2 million metric tons in FY 2017-18 from 1.9 million metric tons in 2000-01. About 88% of the farmed fish comes from freshwater aquaculture.
- Around 28 million people are employed in the fisheries sector in India.
- The sector has immense potential to more than double the fishers and fish farmers’ incomes, as envisioned by the government.
CONSTRAINTS IN FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT
- Lack of a reliable database relating to aquatic and fisheries resources,
- Non-availability of suitable fish yield models for multi-species fisheries for open inland waters and marine resources,
- Weak multi-disciplinary approach in fisheries and aquaculture,
- Inadequate attention to the environmental, economic, social and gender issues in fisheries and aquaculture,
- Inadequate HRD and specialized manpower in different disciplines,
- Weak linkages between research and development machinery,
- Weak marketing and extension network,
- Poor technology transfer and anthropogenic interventions, resulting in loss of biodiversity,
- Decline in fish catch,
- Depletion of natural resources,
- Over-exploitation of coastal fisheries
- Pollution of water bodies with industrial and domestic effluents,
- Clandestine introduction and spread of exotic fish species,
- Unscientific management of fisheries and aquaculture activities, and
- Contamination of indigenous fish germplasm resources.
INDIAN GOVERNMENT’S EFFORT TO IMPROVE FISHERIES
- Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY): PMMSY is a flagship scheme for focused and sustainable development of the fisheries sector in the country as a part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
o PMMSY is a flagship scheme for focused and sustainable development of the fisheries sector in the country as a part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
- Blue revolution: integrated development and management of fisheries
- It is an umbrella scheme formulated by merging all the existing schemes
- It aims at enhancing fish production from 107.95 lakh tone (2015-16) to about 150 lakh tonne by the end of the 2019-20.
- The Mission Fingerling has been launched under Blue Revolution which envisages adopting an integrated approach.
o It targets enhancing fisheries production from 10.79 mmt (2014-15) to 15 mmt in 2020-21.
o The scheme will facilitate the establishment of hatcheries and Fingerling rearing pond to ensure certain level of production of fish fingerling, post larvae of shrimp and crab in the country
- Extension of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) facilities to fishers and fish farmers to help them in meeting their working capital need. This will help all such farmers to get short term loan for crop & animal/fish rearing at a maximum interest of 4% on timely repayment.
WAY FORWARD
- Inter-Sector Coordination: There is need of coordination at different level from state to central level for sustainable utilization of resources
- Modernization of fishing vessels in compliance to requirements of post-harvest handling and storage and quality preservation of fish need to be encouraged.
- Development and management of modern wholesale fish markets including supermarkets, retail fish markets and outlets, mobile fish and live fish markets need to be encouraged so as to ensure quality and hygienic fish to the consumers
- Leasing, Licensing and Management of water bodies for culture fisheries: Statesneed to develop comprehensive leasing and licensing policy for all public water bodies by balancing competing objectives of resource development, livelihoods, welfare and revenue generation,etc
- Aquaculture at par with Agriculture: Aquaculture sector documented one of the highest growth rates in productions and providing livelihood and nutritional security in the country. It deserves greater attention of the Government in the form of incentives/ concessions as in agriculture like income tax, power supply, loan facility, Insurance covered, drought and flood relief and transportation, etc.
- Fish Seed Production and Genetic Up-gradation: Private sector need to be encouraged to setup hatcheries and seed rearing farms, especially in deficient areas to ensure year round availability of quality stocking material in water bodies.
Water use and Management: The present National water policy, 2012 clearly recognizes the use of water for basic human requirements as part of right to life and livelihood. Its scope needs to be enlarged to emphatically recognize the minimal right to water for fisheries and aquaculture.