DIVERSIFICATION INTO PRODUCTIVE

ACTIVITIES~ FISHERIES

By Gayathri Harikumar

XI F

• Marine and freshwater catch fishing combined with aquaculture fish farming is a rapidly growing industry in India. • Integral and life-giving source of the fishing community.• Fish production - increased more than tenfold since its independence

in 1947. • Major supplier of fish in the world. • 2008 - sixth largest producer of marine and freshwater capture

fisheries, and the second largest aquaculture farmed fish producer in the world.• Special efforts - to promote extensive and intensive inland fish

farming, modernize coastal fisheries, and encourage deep-sea fishing through joint ventures.

ECONOMIC BENEFITS• Employing over 14 million people.• Fish products from India are well received by almost half of world's countries,

creating export-driven employment opportunities in India, greater food security for the world.• In 2006 India exported > 600,000 metric tons of fish - 90 countries-earnings

>$1.8 billion.• Fish production from inland sources - 61%, remaining 39% - marine sector (sea and

oceans) of total fish production.• Value of fish and processed fish exports: increased from less than 1% (1960) to 3.6% (1993) (of the total production).

• Total fish production - 0.7% of the total GDP of India• Major producers of marine products - Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

• During the past decades the Indian fisheries and aquaculture has witnessed improvements in craft, tackle and farming methods. • Creation of required harvest and post-harvest infrastructure

has been receiving due attention of the central and state governments. • All this has been inducing a steady growth.• In 1990 1.7m full-time fishermen, 1.3m part-time

fishermen, 2.3m occasional fishermen- many of whom worked as salt makers, ferrymen, or seamen, or operated boats for hire.

FISH PRODUCTION IN INDIA SINCE 1980-81

LIFE OF THE FISHWORKERS• A large share of fishworker families are poor.• Major problems the fishing community :

Rampant underemployment, low per capita earnings, absence of mobility of labour to other sectors,high rate of illiteracy, indebtedness.

• Even though women are not involved in active fishing, about 60% of he workers in export marketing 40% in internal marketing are women • There is a need to increase credit facilities though

cooperatives and SHGs for fisherwomen to meet the working capital requirements for marketing.

WELFARE PROGRAMS FOR TRADITIONAL FISHERMEN

• Important programs for the welfare of traditional fishermen are: Group insurance scheme for active fishermen Development of model fishermen villages Saving-cum-relief scheme Saving-cum-component financial assistance is provided to the

fishermen during the lean fishing season. About 3.5 lakh fishermen were assisted under the saving-cum-

relief program in 2008-2009.

MAJOR ACTIVITIES TO BE TAKEN UP BY THE NATIONAL FISHERIES

DEVELOPMENT BOARDIntensive aquaculture in ponds and tanks Enhancing productivity from reservoir fisheries Brackish-water coastal aquaculture Mariculture Sea ranching Seaweed cultivation Infrastructure for post-harvest programmesFish dressing centres and solar drying fish Domestic marketing

OTHER ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOOD OPTIONS

• It plays a critical role in attaining sustainable development.• It helps in achieving food security by weather forecasting.• Helps in disseminating information regarding emerging technologies,

weather and soil conditions for growing different crops, etc.• Acts as tool for identifying the creative potential and knowledge rooted

in people.• Generates employment opportunities in the backward areas via

developing ‘info kiosk’ in rural areas.• Ensures that their products find right kind of markets and reach these

markets in minimum time without number of middle men involved in it.• Health care