Marine Fisheries Policies in India: Opportunities and Challenges

Shyam, S Salim and Anuja, A R (2022) Marine Fisheries Policies in India: Opportunities and Challenges. In: Souvenir 1st Indian Fisheries Outlook 2022. ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Kolkata, pp. 215-224.

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Abstract

Fisheries are an important source of food, nutrition, employment and income in India. The sector provides livelihoods to about 16 million fishers and fish farmers at the primary level and almost twice the number along the value chain. Fish being an affordable and rich source of animal protein is one of the healthiest options to mitigate hunger and malnutrition. The sector has immense potential to more than double the fishers and fish farmers' incomes, as envisioned by the government. India has rich and diverse fisheries resources ranging from deep seas to lakes, ponds, rivers and more than 10 percent of the global biodiversity in terms of fish and shellfish species. The marine fisheries resources are spread along the country's vast coastline of about 8118 km and 2.02 million square km Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and 0.53 million sq. km continental shelf area. The inland resources are in the form of rivers and canals (1.95 lakh km), floodplain lakes (8.12 lakh hectares), ponds and tanks (24.1 lakh hectares), reservoirs (31.5 lakh hectares), brackish water (12.4 lakh hectares), saline/alkaline affected areas (12 lakh hectares), etc. The unutilized and underutilised vast and varied inland resources offer great opportunities for livelihood development and ushering economic prosperity.

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