Word Fisheries Day 2019: Highlighting the Importance of Indian Fisheries

Apart from being an important sector of food production providing nutritional security, fisheries give employment to 14 Million Indians and save the bio-diversity of the country. The fishery resources in India are mainly composed of inland and marine. Inland fisheries are mainly composed of major rivers and their tributaries, ponds, reservoirs, lakes, canals, etc.  On 21^st November, World Fisheries Day is celebrated worldwide by the fishing communities to recognize the vast and sometimes underappreciated food source for millions of humans i.e.' Sea'. 

AP Government Launches Scheme

Moreover, Andhra Pradesh's government has recently launched a number of welfare schemes for fishermen on the occasion of World Fisheries Day. State Fisheries Minister Mopidevi Venkata Ramana said on the occasion, 'The YSRCP government has increased compensation to fishermen, for the mandatory ban period of 45 days, from Rs 4,000 to Rs 10,000.' The state government has also increased the subsidy on diesel for mechanized or unmechanized boats. In case of death of fisherman compensation of 10 lakh will be given within 2 months.

How Indian Fisheries are helping the Livelihood?

Indian fisheries and aquaculture is an important sector of food production providing nutritional security, besides livelihood support and gainful employment to more than 14 million people, and contributing to agricultural exports. With diverse resources ranging from deep seas to lakes in the mountains and more than 10% of the global biodiversity in terms of fish and shellfish species, the country has shown continuous and sustained increments in fish production since independence. The total fish production during 2017-18 is estimated to be 12.60 million metric tonnes, of which nearly 65% is from the inland sector and about 50% of the total production is from culture fisheries and constitutes about 6.3% of the global fish production.

As per the government’s reports, “Paradigm shifts in terms of increasing contributions from the inland sector and further from aquaculture have been significant over the years. With high growth rates, the different facets, viz., marine fisheries, coastal aquaculture, inland fisheries, freshwater aquaculture, and coldwater fisheries are contributing to the food basket, health, economy, exports, employment and tourism of the country”.

Export of Indian Fisheries (source- http://nfdb.gov.in/about-indian-fisheries.htm)

More than 50 different types of fish and shellfish products are being exported to 75 countries around the world. Fish and fish products have presently emerged as the largest group in agricultural exports from India, with 13.77 lakh tonnes in terms of quantity and Rs. 45,106.89 crore in value. This accounts for around 10% of the total exports and nearly 20% of the agricultural exports, and contribute to about 0.91% of the GDP and 5.23% to the - GVA of the country.

With over 2.4 lakh fishing crafts operating along the coast, 7 major fishing harbours, 75 minor fishing harbours and 1,537 landing centres are functioning to cater to the needs of over 4.0 million fisherfolk. For promoting aquaculture, 429 Fish Farmers Development Agencies (FFDAs) and 39 Brackishwater Fish Farms Development Agencies (BFDAs) were established in the country. The annual carp seed production is to the tune of 40 billion fries and that of shrimp is about 54 billion PLs, with increasing species diversification in the recent past. Besides large-scale freshwater food fish culture, ornamental fish culture and high-value marine fish farming are gaining importance in the recent past.

Indian Fisheries Statistics-