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Fishermen in India - Current Status, Initiatives Related to Fishermen, Challenges And More

Last Updated on Sep 08, 2023
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More than 20 million fishermen in India and fish farmers depend on the fisheries industry for their livelihoods. A fisherman in India and aquaculture play a significant role in food production, dietary security, employment, and income. It generates INR 1.75 trillion in gross value added annually for India’s economy. It is a significant source of foreign exchange, with fish being one of the most valuable agricultural exports from the country. India’s fishing industry is significant. Millions of people are employed by it, and it helps the nation’s food security. 

In this article, UPSC candidates can learn about the topic “Fishermen in India.” In this article, we will study fishermen in India, the current status of the Indian fisheries industry and the problems faced by Indian Fishermen. It forms a major part of the UPSC IAS exam, and questions related to this are seen in Mains Paper III in the Agriculture section of the UPSC examination. Testbook provides comprehensive notes and online classes for UPSC, including different competitive examinations.

Fisheries in India

After China, India is the world's second-largest aquaculture nation and the third-largest fisheries producer. The Indian Blue Revolution showed how important the fishing and aquaculture industries are. The fishing industry in India is regarded as a sunrise sector and is believed to have a big impact on the Indian economy soon. Indian fisheries have recently seen a paradigm change from inland to marine-dominated fisheries, with the latter becoming a major contributor to fish output, from 36% in the middle of the 1980s to 70% in the recent past. Transitioning from capture to culture-based fishing within inland fisheries has prepared the ground for a sustained blue economy.

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Current Status of Indian Fishermen

The global epidemic, which destroyed the lives of millions of people in India’s fish industry, left more than 15,000 migratory fish workers stranded. There were broken supply lines when the fisheries activity resumed.

Due to reduced consumer demand and the higher risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus. As a result, several mechanized fisheries in India that mainly rely on migrant fishermen were severely harmed. When the yearly mechanized fishing restriction was enacted on the east coast on April 15th, 2020, the remaining licenced fisheries vied to rebuild themselves. Although some states, like Kerala and Maharashtra, have made considerable advances in bringing seafood back into people’s diets, most fishing operations still occur in other states.

Even though the annual fishing prohibition has only been extended until 2020, it has little impact on the existing issues. With the government relaxing its prohibitions on mechanized and motorized fishing, India’s small-scale (non-mechanized) fishermen and migrant labourers—among the diversified fishing community’s most vulnerable—now face even greater difficulties. The chance of indebted fisher migrants being pushed into bonded labour has increased due to the risk being taken with the lives of fishermen in dangerous waters to serve non-existent markets.

Read about National Fisheries Policy here!

India’s Rank in Fish Production

According to Dr. L Murugan, the Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy, India ranks third in the world for fish production.

According to the Union Minister, Karnataka received 734.77 crore rupees under the PMMSY’s flagship programme, Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), from 2020–21 to the present, for the development of infrastructure amenities.

Read about the Great Indian Bustard here!

Top 5 Highest Fish Producing States in India

In most Indian states, fish is a key component of the diet. Fish is a staple of the diets of about 60% of Indians. The fishing business in India is growing due to the rise in fish consumption. Ten states are smarter than the other states regarding fish production: Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Daman, Dieu, Puducherry, Odisha, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Andhra Pradesh is the highest fish-producing state in the country, followed by West Bengal and Gujarat. In 2020, the state produced over 4 million metric tonnes of fish.

Read about Nagoya Protocol here!

Initiatives Related to Fishermen in India

Some of the initiatives taken by the government of India in the Fisheries sector are

  • Blue Revolution- "Blue Revolution" was launched in 2015. Its objectives include sustainable fisheries development while considering biosecurity and environmental concerns.
  • Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) was launched in May 2020. To build on the achievements in the fisheries sector by implementing the Blue Revolution Scheme and developing the sector sustainably and responsibly.
  • Development of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture– It is a Centrally Sponsored scheme. The components approved under the scheme are
    • Development of Freshwater Aquaculture.
    • Development of Brackishwater Aquaculture.
    • Coldwater Fisheries and Aquaculture.
    • Development of Waterlogged Areas.
    • Productive Utilization of Inland Saline/Alkaline Soils for Aquaculture.
    • Integrated Development of Inland Capture Resources (reservoirs/rivers etc.)
  • National Scheme of Welfare of Fishermen- The objectives of this scheme include providing financial assistance to fishermen to build homes, community centres for gathering and work, tube wells for drinking water, and assistance during difficult times through a cum relief component.
  • National Mission for Protein Supplements- The State of West Bengal is rich in beel and sewage-fed fisheries with a range of sizes mostly managed by the State Government.

Economic Benefits of Fishing in India

Economic Benefits of Fishing in India:

  • Employment Generation: Fishing provides direct and indirect employment opportunities to millions of people along India's coastal and inland regions, contributing significantly to livelihoods.
  • Exports and Revenue: India is a major exporter of seafood products, earning valuable foreign exchange and contributing to the country's economy.
  • Food Security: Fishing plays a vital role in meeting the protein needs of the population, enhancing food security and nutrition.
  • Rural Economy Support: Fishing activities boost the economy of rural and coastal communities by generating income and fostering related businesses.
  • Supply Chain: The fishing industry creates a diverse supply chain, including processing, packaging, transportation, and retail, further stimulating economic activity.
  • Tourism: Fishing activities, such as angling and coastal tourism, attract visitors, contributing to local economies through hospitality and tourism-related services.
  • Infrastructure Development: Fishing necessitates infrastructure development like harbours, storage facilities, and processing units, boosting local and regional economic growth.
  • Multiplier Effect: Fishing's economic benefits ripple through various sectors, positively impacting the transportation, retail, and hospitality industries.
  • Foreign Trade: Seafood trade bolsters international relations and trade agreements, fostering economic ties with other countries.
  • Investment Opportunities: The fishing sector offers investment opportunities in aquaculture, modernizing fishing techniques, and value addition, promoting economic growth.

Major Fisheries Research and Training Institutions in India

Central and state governments in India support fisheries research and training establishments. The key fisheries research institutions, operated under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, encompass:

  1. Fishery Survey of India,
  2. Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute located in Kochi,
  3. Central Institute of Fisheries Education situated in Mumbai,
  4. Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute based in Barrackpore, West Bengal,
  5. Central Fisheries Corporation positioned in Kolkata,
  6. Central Institute of Coastal Engineering for Fisheries located in Bangalore,
  7. Central Institute of Fisheries Technology is situated in Kochi, Kerala.

Central Institute of Fisheries Education in Mumbai serves as the hub for fishery training, with ancillary institutions in Barrackpore, Uttar Pradesh, and Hyderabad, Telangana.

Challenges Faced by Fishermen Community in India

Some of the biggest challenges faced by Fishermen in India are

  • Sustainability: According to the Food and Agriculture Organization’s State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture reports, approximately 90% of the world’s marine fish stocks are fully exploited, overfished, or severely depleted. Biologically viable recovery may not be conceivable. 
  • Demand rising: Global fish production should reach 196 million tonnes by 2025 from 171 million tonnes to meet the rising demand for animal protein. That seems nearly impossible, given the rate at which marine fish stocks deplete.
  • Productivity is low in these industries when measured by the number of fishermen, boats, and farms. A fisherman or farmer in Norway can catch or produce 250 kg per day, compared to an average of 4–5 kg in India.
  • Inadequate Mechanization: Small fishermen who use traditional boats, either without motors or ones with simple outboard motors, make up most of the marine capture fisheries. Water pollution, improper aquaculture management, and tainted native germplasm resources are some of the other challenges faced by fishermen in India.
  • Environmental degradation also poses a major threat to the sustainability of inland fisheries. Both aquaculture and inland fisheries require better institutional support and legal and political recognition, as aquatic pollution and the destruction of fish habitats are also increasing.

Read about the Tilapia Aquaculture Project Here!

Way Forward

The new National Policy on Marine Fisheries suggests that deep-sea fishing vessels be made available and that fishing communities be helped to adapt their boats and equipment to the deeper waters. The sustainability issues must be taken into consideration, and it must be recognized that fishing is a major source of income for many communities and people. The new department’s policies should raise incomes and higher returns and productivity. The policy calls for higher seed stocking, better-quality feed, and species diversification to achieve intensive fish farming.

More crop per drop is a goal that will be achieved through innovative techniques like the recirculatory aquaculture system. To achieve sector self-sufficiency, we must prioritize seed production. Open sea cage cultivation has produced encouraging preliminary results in its experimental stage. This might change the game once more. If the government’s policies address the issue of sustainability, a concentrated effort by an independent department could assist in the government’s goal of doubling farmers’ income. The Indian fish market size reached a value of almost INR 1,232 billion in the year 2020. The industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.5% between 2021 and 2026 to reach a value of almost INR 2,243 billion by 2026.

Download the PDF on Status of Fishermen in India notes for UPSC Exam here.

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Fishermen in India FAQs

Andhra Pradesh tops in production and consumption followed by West Bengal and Gujarat.

According to the census conducted by Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute conducted in 2010 there are around 4 million fishermen living in India of which almost 61% live Below the Poverty Line. The average family size was 4.63 and the overall sex ratio was 928 per 1000 males

The government of India has taken several initiatives for the fishermen in India some of them are Blue Revolution, Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, etc.

Indian fishermen face a variety of problems ranging from sustainability, Demand and supply, Mechanization, illiteracy, unemployment, high per capita cost and improper management.
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