Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the marine fisheries sector in India

Anuja, A R and Shyam, S Salim and Kumaran, Akhila and Narayanakumar, R and Jayasankar, J and Aswathy, N (2025) Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the marine fisheries sector in India. Marine Policy, 180. pp. 1-9.

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected India's marine fisheries sector, impacting livelihoods and the national economy. This study employs a Difference-in-Differences (DID) approach to analyse the impact of the pandemic and related policy interventions on marine fish landings, utilizing monthly data across coastal states in India from 2014 to 2023. Additionally, the study empirically examines the pandemic's effects on fishing effort, catch per unit effort (CPUE), price of major marine fish species, and trade. The nationwide lockdown and coinciding routine seasonal fishing bans led to a decline in landings, across sectors. However, a subsequent recovery phase was observed, with the motorized sector demonstrating the strongest rebound. Although fishing effort decreased across all sectors, the mechanized sector experienced an increase in CPUE despite reduced activity levels. During the pandemic, landings reduced but retail prices increased for most major marine species. Marine food exports declined, particularly to major destinations such as China and Europe. This study underscores the sector's vulnerability to sudden shocks such as pandemics and emphasizes the need for targeted and timely interventions to ensure livelihood security, resilience and equitable future for different stakeholders in the marine fisheries sector.

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