Indian Fisheries

Indian Fisheries

• India ranks second in world total fish production and second in total aquaculture production.
• Inland fisheries sector contributes around 70% to total fish production, and aquaculture contributes around 78% to inland fisheries sector.
• India contributes 5.42% of the world’s fish production and trades 2.5% of the global fish market.
• Fisheries contribute 0.97% to the GDP and 5.37% to Agricultural GDP.

Indian Coastline and Marine Resources

• India has a coastline of 8129 km, a continental shelf area of 0.53 million km², and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 2.02 million km².
• The Gulf of Mannar and Gulf of Kutch are two important marine ecosystems in India.
• Pelagic resources in Indian waters include oil sardine, mackerel, seer fish, tuna, lesser sardine, anchovies, and ribbon fishes.
• Demersal resources include perches, sciaenid’s, catfishes, polynemids, flat fishes, pomfrets, eels, sharks, skates, and rays.
• Mid-water resources include Bombay duck, horse mackerel, and silver bellies.
• Crustacean resources include prawn, shrimp, lobster, and crab.
• Molluscan resources include mussels, oyster, clams, chank, squid, and cuttlefish.

Fish Production and Fisheries Management

• West Bengal has the maximum production of fish, followed by Karnataka and Kerala.
• The eastern coast contributes 57.2% of the total coastline and 28.8% of the total fish production.
• Mechanized fishing sector produces 64% of the marine landings, motorized and artisanal sector contributes 26% and 9% respectively.
• Trawler fleet expansion and indigenous boat construction started in the 1960s, and introduction of purse seine was in the 1970s.
• Restrictions on trawling by mechanized vessels for 45-60 days during the southwest monsoon in the west coast and for 45 days during April-May in the east coast.

Aquaculture

• Scientific farming of brackish water aquaculture started only in the 1990s.
• Commercial brackish water culture is mainly confined to penaeus monodon.
• The total area under shrimp culture in the country at present is 12.88% of the potential water area of 1.2 million ha.
• Among the coastal states, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal are the largest producers of shrimp, together contributing 79% of the total aquaculture production of the country and also 77% area under farming.

Bivalve Fishery

• Bivalve fishery is an important fishery in India, with a total of 60 commercial species.
• Mussels are the second dominant group, with green mussel (P. viridis) and brown mussel (P. indicus) being the most important species.
• Clams are another important bivalve species, with a high demand in the export market.
• Other bivalve species, such as oysters, scallops, and cockles, are also found in Indian waters.

Cephalopod Fishery

• Cephalopods form only 4.5% of the total marine fish landings.
• The dominant species of cephalopods occurring in commercial catches are Loligo duvaucelii, Sepia pharaonis, S. aculeata, and Octopus membranaceous.
• Cephalopods are largely caught by bottom trawlers operating up to 200m depth.

Island Fisheries

• Lakshadweep islands have a vast lagoon, territorial waters, and an EEZ, making it a rich fishing ground.
• The inhabited islands of Lakshadweep are Androth, Amini, Kalpeni, Agatti, Bitra, Chetlat, Kadamat, Kaileni, Kavaratti, Kitan, Minicoy, and Bengaram.
• Major fishery resources of Lakshadweep islands include tuna, billfishes, pelagic sharks, marlins, sailfish, and other group of food fishes.

Conservation and Management of Fisheries

• The Coastal Aquaculture Authority has introduced regulatory measures with regard to the use of drugs and chemicals in shrimp farming, ensuring good management practices.
• The Indian fisheries are managed by the Indian Fisheries Act, 1897.
• The major marine fisheries in India are managed through a permit system, and conservation efforts are in place to protect marine biodiversity.### Lakshadweep Fisheries
• 12% of catches in Lakshadweep are Albacores and 2% are Euthynnus affinis
• 97% of catches in Lakshadweep are from traditional pole and line fishing, followed by troll lines
• There are 900 motorized fishing boats in Lakshadweep
• Oceanic tuna longline fishing was introduced in the early 1980s
• The Maritime Zones of India (regulation of fishing by foreign vessels) Act, 1981, permitted chartering of foreign vessels for fishing in Indian EEZ
• Tuna long liners operated in Indian waters from 1985-1995
• Fish landings in Lakshadweep are highest in Agatti (23%), Kavaratti (14%), and Minicoy (13%)
• Fishermen in Lakshadweep catch skipjack tuna using pole and line fishing
• Traditional boats in Lakshadweep are converted to long liners with fish holds and ice
• MPEDA provides subsidies to convert trawlers into long line fishing boats
• About 50% of tuna caught in Minicoy are consumed fresh or converted to masmin and canned

Tuna Market

• The global tuna market has two preferred items: sashimi (consumed fresh and uncooked) and canned tuna
• Sashimi market relies on Bluefin, Bigeye, and Yellowfin tuna
• Canned tuna market depends on Skipjack, Albacore, and Bonito
• High-priced sashimi market caters to Japan, Europe, and the USA

Tuna Waste Utilization

• Tuna viscera powder is used as a flavor for feeds
• Tuna bone products are a dietary calcium source
• Tuna eye is a source of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (DHA and EPA)

Lakshadweep Fisheries Development

• Lakshadweep Development Corporation Limited promotes export of frozen tuna, canned tuna, and tuna pickles

Fisheries in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

• The Andaman and Nicobar islands have an EEZ of 0.6 million km²
• The coastal shelf around the islands is very narrow, with a width of up to 10 nautical miles in some places
• Primary production in the region is low
• The region has a rich biodiversity, with 600 odd marine fish species, including ornamental fishes

Status of Fisheries in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

• The total potential yield in the region is estimated to be around 148,000 tonnes of pelagic, demersal, and oceanic resources
• The average yield in the region is around 31,000 tonnes
• Major exploited resources include carangids, lesser sardines, mackerel, and others
• The region has a large stock of coastal tunas, but the catch is limited to only 810 tonnes

Brackish Water Aquaculture

• The region has a large area suitable for brackish water aquaculture (110,000 ha)
• The area has been affected by the 2004 tsunami, resulting in an increase in brackish water area to 4,000 ha
• Potential species for brackish water culture include P. monodon, Fenneropenaeus merguiensis, and others

Riverine Fisheries

• India has a vast network of rivers, with a total length of around 45,000 km
• The rivers fall into 113 river basins, covering an area of around 3.12 million km²
• The country has 15 major, 45 medium, and over 102 minor rivers, besides numerous ephemeral streams
• The river systems are traditionally grouped into Himalayan and peninsular rivers

Note: The rest of the text is about Indian rivers and their characteristics, which is a separate topic from fisheries.### River Systems of India

Krishna River System

• Catchment area: 233,229 km²
• Traverses through: Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh
• Main tributaries: Bhima and Tungbhadra rivers
• Reservoirs: Lakkavali, Tungbhadra, Koyna, Vanivilassagar, Himayatsagar, Osmansagar, and Hussainsagar

Cauvery River System

• Longest perennial river south of the Krishna river
• Originates from: Brahmagiri hills on the Western Ghats in Karnataka
• Flows in a south-easterly direction for 850 km before emptying into the Bay of Bengal
• Divides into two branches: River Coleroon and River Cauvery
• Main tributaries: River Bhavani, Noyil, and Amaravati
• Reservoirs: Mettur, Bhavanisagar, and Krishnarajsagar

West Coast River System

• Drains a narrow belt of peninsular India west of the Western Ghats
• Includes: Narmada and Tapti river basins
• Main rivers: Narmada and Tapti
• Total length of rivers: 3,380 km
• Narmada River:
  • Largest west-flowing river of the country
  • Originates from: Maikala highlands near Amarkantak in Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh
  • Total length: 1,312 km
  • Traverses: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat
  • Fed by: 41 major tributaries
  • Total catchment area: 94,235 km²
  • Reservoirs: Four, including Tawa and Sukta on the left bank, Barna on the right bank, and Bargi on the main river

Ganga River System

• Total length: 2,525 km
• Catchment area: 86.4 million hectares
• Divided into three zones: Upper, Middle, and Lower
• Water quality: pH (8.1-8.2), temperature (20.4-26.8°C), and transparency (58.9 cm)
• Fish species: 265, including 181 freshwater species
• Fisheries: 34 species of commercial interest
• Average fish catch: 389 kg/km

Brahmaputra River System

• Total length: 2,900 km
• Catchment area: 58.2 million hectares
• Fish species: 221, including 103 genera and 36 families
• Commercial fisheries: 35 species
• Average fish catch: 215 tonnes

Indus River System

• Total length: 3,180 km
• Catchment area: 96.6 million hectares
• Fish species: 126, including 43 families
• Average fish catch: 255 tonnes

Mahanadi River System

• Total length: 858 km
• Catchment area: 14.2 million hectares
• Fish species: 253, including 73 families
• Average fish catch: 142.47 tonnes

Godavari River System

• Total length: 1,465 km
• Catchment area: 31.3 million hectares
• Fish species: 189, including 54 families
• Average fish catch: 120 tonnes

Cauvery River System

• Total length: 800 km
• Catchment area: 8.1 million hectares
• Fish species: 80, including 23 families
• Average fish catch: 90 tonnes

Narmada River System

• Total length: 1,312 km
• Catchment area: 9.4 million hectares
• Fish species: 84, including 23 families
• Average fish catch: 71 tonnes