Deep Sea and Oceanic Resources

Abstract

Although the marine living resources are renewable, their unbridled exploitation causes irreparable loss to the habitat and the sustainable production of biota. Ever increasing population and demand for cheap fish protein together with the availability of a 8041 km long coast and more than 1,80,000 km2 shallow coastal area have attracted not only the traditional communities but also small-scale entrepreneurs into fishing. The last fifty years' growth of Indian marine fisheries is commendable, which has transformed a subsistence-oriented traditional fmheries into a market oriented commercial fisheries with the support of technical advancements in harvest and post harvest areas and also gained considerable strength and capabilities in landing, storage and processing infrastructure. The growing demand for prime value species of marine resources in domestic and export market has encouraged the commercial exploitation and production of target species through mechaniaation and motorisation.