Fishing in India
Fishing in India is a major sector within the economy of India contributing 1.07% of its total GDP.[1] The fishing sector in India supports the livelihood of over 28 million people in the country, especially within the marginalized and vulnerable communities.[2] India is the third largest fish producing country in the world accounting for 7.96% of the global production and second largest producer of fish through aquaculture, after China. The total fish production during the FY 2020-21 is estimated at 14.73 million metric tonnes. [3] According to the National Fisheries Development Board the Fisheries Industry generates an export earnings of Rs 334.41 billion.[1] Centrally sponsored schemes will increase exports by Rs 1 lakh crore in FY25. 65,000 fishermen have been trained under these schemes from 2017 to 2020. Freshwater fishing consists of 55% of total fish production.[1]
According to the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, Dairying, fish production increased from 7.52 lakh tonnes in years 1950–51 to 125.90 lakh tonnes in years 2018–19, a 17 times increase.[4] Each year, India celebrates 10, July as the National Fish Farmers day.[5] Koyilandy harbour in Kerala is the largest fishing harbour in Asia. It has the longest breakwater.
India has 7,516 kilometres (4,670 mi) of marine coastline, 3,827 fishing villages and 1,914 traditional fish landing centers. India's fresh water resources consist of 195,210 kilometres (121,300 mi) of
History
Historical texts like
Economic benefits
Fishing in India contributed over 1% of India's annual
Fish production rose from 800,000 tons in FY 1950 to 4.1 million tons in the early 1990s. From 1990 through 2010, Indian fish industry accelerated, reaching a total marine and freshwater fish production to about 8 million metric tons. In 2006, Indian central government initiated a dedicated organization focused on fisheries, under its
Law and regulations
National laws include the British-era Indian Fisheries Act, 1897, which penalizes the killing of fish by poisoning water and by using explosives; the
In India, annually fishing is officially banned for 47 days (shortened from 61 days prior to 2020) during first two months of monsoon season for the breeding and spawning of the fishes.[16] During this time mechanised fishing vessels like trawlers are banned from fishing[17][18]
In 2019, a separate ministry named the
Research and training
Fisheries research and training institutions in India are supported by central and state governments. The major fisheries research institutions operating under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research are
- Fishery Survey of India,
- Kochi
- Central Institute of Fisheries Education at Mumbai,
- Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute at Barrackpore in West Bengal,
- Central Fisheries Corporation at Kolkata, the Central Institute of Coastal Engineering for Fisheries at Bangalore, and
- Central Institute of Fisheries Technology at Kochi in Kerala.
Fishery training is provided by the
The Government of India established the National Fisheries Development Board in 2006 with its headquarters in Hyderabad.[20] The NFDB works from a four-story tin-clad building shaped like a fish; built in 2012 and reportedly based on a 1992 sculpture by Frank Gehry in Barcelona, the building is considered an example of mimetic architecture.
The
Issues
Despite rapid growth in total fish production, an individual fish farmers’ average annual production in India is only 2 tonnes, compared to 172 tonnes in Norway, 72 tonnes in Chile, and 6 tonnes per fisherman in China.[22] In India, fishing and selling of critically endangered fish species are banned. But sometimes, due to a lack of awareness drives from fisheries department officials, critically endangered species are killed.[13] The annual fishing (trawling) ban is done during the monsoon season for breeding and spawning of fish species. But some fish species like Cuttlefish and squid breed and spawn during October. So there have been suggestions to increase the trawling ban to 90 days.[23]
Indian fishermen sometimes get captured by the navies of Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Skirmishes with the Sri Lankan navy often result in casualties and damage of boats.[24] As of 2014, out of the 281 Indian prisoners in Pakistan jails 232 are Indian fishermen. In 2013, an Indian fisherman died in Pakistan jail. In 2014, another Indian fisherman died in Pakistan jail.[25] In 2020 the Pakistan Marines fired on two Indian boats near the international maritime boundary line (IMBL) in an incident in which one fisherman was injured.[26]
There has been an increase in the number of Chinese deap-sea fishing trawlers in the Southern Indian Ocean which has caused concerns in India. Between 2015 and 2019, around 500 Chinese trawlers were sighted in the region[27]
Climate change along with habitat destruction and other anthropogenic environmental damages have reduced fish stocks within India's exclusive economic zone, leading some fishers to take riskier trips into international waters.[28]
Aquaculture
Carp
Carp farming in the country started between 1970 and 1980 due to the demonstrated high production levels of 8 to 10 tonnes/hectare/year in an incubation center. Late 1980s saw the dawn of aquaculture in India and transformed fish culture into a more modern enterprise. With the economic liberalization of the early 1990s, fishing industry got a major investment boost.[7]
India's breeding and culture technologies include primarily different species of carp, including the important Indian major carp species (notably
- Intensive pond culture with supplementary feeding and aeration (10–15 tonnes/ha/yr)
- Composite carp culture (4–6 tonnes/ha/yr)
- Weed-based carp polyculture (3–4 tonnes/ha/yr)
- Integrated fish farming with poultry, pigs, ducks, horticulture, etc. (3–5 tonnes/ha/yr)
- Pen culture (3–5 tonnes/ha/yr)
- Cage culture (10–15 kg/m2/yr)
- Running-water fish culture (20–50 kg/m2/yr)
Prawn or shrimp
Freshwater prawn farming in India has grown rapidly since 2000 with Andhra Pradesh and Kerala contributing to approximately 60 percent of the total water area dedicated to prawn farming, followed by West Bengal.[8] In fiscal 2016, India became the biggest exporter of shrimps by overtaking Vietnam. Frozen shrimp is the top item of export among seafood, accounting for 38.28 per cent in quantity and 64.50 per cent of the total earnings in dollar terms in 2016–17. The overall export of shrimp during 2016-17 was pegged at 434,484 MT, worth US$3.726 billion. USA was the largest import market for frozen shrimp (165,827 MT), followed by the European Union (EU) (77,178 MT), South East Asia (1,05,763 MT), Japan (31,284 MT), Middle East (19,554 MT), China (7,818 MT) and other countries (27,063 MT). Shrimp exports from India are expected to nearly double to US$7 billion by 2022, driven by strong demand, high quality, improved product mix, and an increase in aquaculture area in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat, Odisha and West Bengal.[29][30]
The giant tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) is the dominant species chosen for aquaculture, followed by the Indian white prawn (Fenneropenaeus indicus) and Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). In 2015–16, West Bengal (61,998 MT) was the largest producer of tiger shrimp for export, followed by Odisha (9,191 MT). Andhra Pradesh (295,332 MT) was the largest producer of Pacific white shrimp.[31]
Freshwater aquaculture
Freshwater aquaculture accounts for nearly 55% of the total fish production in India and Second Largest Producer of Inland fish in the world.[32] Aquaculture resources in India include 2.36 million hectares of ponds and tanks, 1.07 million hectares of beels, jheels and derelict waters plus in addition 0.12 million kilometers of canals, 3.15 million hectares of reservoirs and 0.72 million hectares of upland lakes that could be utilised for aquaculture purposes. Ponds and tanks are the prime resources for freshwater aquaculture in India. However, less than 10 percent of India's natural potential is used for aquaculture currently. For bringing more areas under scientific fisheries and aquaculture, the Indian government and premier fisheries research institutes are trying hard to sensitize the fish farmers and entrepreneurs regarding the package of practices and prospects of the highly promising ‘culture-based fisheries technology (CBF)’ in inland waters. Utilization of untapped inland waters through CBF is one of the foremost strategies for achieving blue revolution. CBF is generally practiced in inland waters having areas between 100 and 1000 ha (lakes, wetlands and small reservoirs) and cautiously in 1000–5000 ha (medium-sized reservoirs)[12]
Brackishwater aquaculture
The
Ornamental Fish
India's domestic ornamental fish Industry is 300 crore rupees worth. In 2017, India exported ornamental fish worth Rs 9.5 crore, a 40% increase from the previous year.[33]
Sea Weed
Karnataka is the largest producer of seaweed in India producing 22 thousand tonnes followed by Gujarat, Maharashtra and Lakshadweep. The red seaweed is the most cultivated variety of seaweed in India. In 2018 the Indian government set up 10,000 seaweeds culture units in Andhra Pradesh under the Central government's Blue Revolution scheme.[34]
Distribution
There are ten main fishing harbors at:[35]
- Mangalore in Karnataka,
- ,
- ,
- Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, and
- Raichak in West Bengal
23 minor fishing harbours and 95 fish-landing centres are designated to provide landing and berthing facilities to fishing craft.
Rank[36] | State | Total production (lakh metric tonnes) |
---|---|---|
1 | Andhra Pradesh | 34.5 |
2 | West Bengal | 17.42 |
3 | Gujarat | 8.34 |
4 | Odisha | 6.85 |
5 | Tamil Nadu | 6.82 |
Top ten states fish production every year
States[37] | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | ||||||||||
Inland | Marine | Total | Inland | Marine | Total | Inland | Marine | Total | Inland | Marine | Total | Inland | Marine | Total | |
Andhra Pradesh | 15.8 | 4.38 | 20.18 | 15.03 | 4.75 | 19.79 | 18.32 | 5.2 | 23.52 | 21.86 | 5.8 | 27.66 | 28.45 | 6.05 | 34.5 |
West Bengal | 13.92 | 1.88 | 15.81 | 14.38 | 1.79 | 16.17 | 14.93 | 1.78 | 16.71 | 15.25 | 1.77 | 17.02 | 15.57 | 1.85 | 17.42 |
Gujarat | 0.98 | 6.96 | 7.93 | 1.11 | 6.98 | 8.1 | 1.12 | 6.97 | 8.1 | 1.17 | 6.99 | 8.16 | 3.34 | 12.11 | 15.45 |
Kerala | 1.94 | 3.2 | 4.14 | 1.36 | 3.33 | 4.7 | 1.77 | 4.45 | 5.21 | 5.55 | 5.53 | 10.08 | 5.35 | 10.00 | 15.35 |
Tamil Nadu | 1.92 | 4.32 | 6.24 | 2.4 | 4.57 | 6.98 | 2.43 | 4.67 | 7.09 | 1.97 | 4.72 | 6.69 | 1.85 | 6.97 | 8.82 |
Uttar Pradesh | 4.64 | 0 | 4.64 | 4.94 | 0 | 4.94 | 5.05 | 0 | 5.05 | 6.18 | 0 | 6.18 | 6.29 | 0 | 6.29 |
Maharashtra | 1.35 | 4.67 | 6.03 | 1.44 | 4.64 | 6.08 | 1.46 | 4.34 | 5.8 | 2 | 4.63 | 6.63 | 1.31 | 4.75 | 6.06 |
Odisha | 1.98 | 3.57 | 5.55 | 2.23 | 4 | 6.23 | 1.69 | 4.12 | 5.81 | 1.59 | 3.99 | 5.57 | 1.88 | 4.14 | 6.03 |
Bihar | 4.32 | 0 | 4.32 | 4.8 | 0 | 4.8 | 5.07 | 0 | 5.07 | 5.09 | 0 | 5.09 | 5.88 | 0 | 5.88 |
Karnataka | 1.86 | 5.22 | 7.09 | 2.02 | 5.24 | 7.26 | 2.11 | 5.17 | 7.28 | 1.61 | 4.31 | 5.93 | 1.48 | 4.14 | 5.63 |
India | 61.36 | 34.43 | 95.79 | 66.91 | 35.69 | 102.6 | 71.62 | 36 | 107.62 | 78.06 | 36.25 | 114.31 | 89.02 | 36.88 | 125.9 |
See also
References
- ^ a b c "India's Blue Economy net getting biger". Financial Express. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
- ^ "Page 279 - economic_survey_2021-2022". www.indiabudget.gov.in. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
- ^ Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India. "Annual Report 2021-22" (PDF). p. 9.
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- ^ a b "India - National Fishery Sector Overview". Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 2006.
- ^ a b Sasmita Panda, Gagan Kumar Panigrahi, Surendra nath Padhi (2016). Earning Animals. Germany: Anchor Academic. p. 70.
- ^ a b c d e "National Aquaculture Sector Overview: India". Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 2009.
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- ^ Krishnakumar, P.K. (16 June 2017). "Ornamental fish industry hit by new regulations". Economic Times. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
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- ^ Bindiya Chari (27 May 2019). "Goa prepares for annual 61-day fishing ban". Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- ^ New Indian Express (15 April 2019). "Annual fishing ban along Tamil Nadu coast comes into effect". Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- ^ "GCMMF welcomes separate ministry for animal husbandry". Hindu Business Line. 1 June 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
- ^ "Activities of NFDB". National Fisheries Development Board - Govt of India. 2008. Archived from the original on 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
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- ^ "The state of world fisheries and aquaculture, 2010" (PDF). FAO of the United Nations. 2010.
- ^ Haritha John (5 August 2019). "Net profit or loss? Kerala's trawling ban during the monsoon has become a bone of contention". Scroll. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- ^ "Sri Lankan navy attacks Tamil Nadu fishermen, 20 boats damaged". The Indian Express. 5 September 2017.
- ^ Shivam Vij (27 May 2014). "The cynical politics behind why India and Pakistan keep arresting fishermen". Scroll. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- ^ "India slams Pakistan for 'deliberate' attack and firing on Indian fishermen". Timesnow News. 14 April 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
- ^ Dinakar Peri (9 September 2019). "Chinese trawlers in southern Indian Ocean worry India". The Hindu. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- ^ Imran Muzaffar; Aliya Bashir (23 April 2024). "Warming seas push India's fishers into distant, and more dangerous, waters". Mongabay. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
- ^ "India's Seafood Export at all-time High in 2016-17 :MPEDA". Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Ministry of Commerce & Industry. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
- ^ "Indian shrimp exports set to nearly double to $7 billion by 2022". CRISIL. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
- ^ Gupta, Jayanta (14 December 2017). "Big Bengal boost to India's No. 1 shrimp exporter tag". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
- ^ "The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2018". FAODocuments. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
- ^ P K KRISHNAKUMAR (16 June 2017). "Ornamental fish industry hit by new regulations". Economic Times. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- ^ "10,000 seaweed culture units to be set up in the state soon". 26 June 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- ^ Shashikala, Bhalkare (2016). Fish Economics and Fish Biotechnology. USA: Lulu Publications. p. 136.
- ^ S Guru Srikanth. "Andhra stands first in fish production, shows Economic Survey". Retrieved 4 September 2022.
- ^ "Indian States fish production" (PDF).
Further reading
- "Library of Congress Country Studies". U.S. Library of Congress (released in public domain). Retrieved 2007-10-06.
- Indian Journal of Fisheries (Indian Council of Agricultural Research)