Management and Development of Fisheries in the Indian Ocean
Authors: Marr J. C. 
Published: April 2011

Development is defined as utilization of a fishery resource to meet the objectives of the government concerned; management is organization of the course of development to meet the socioeconomic objectives and resource utilization policy of government, and to deal with allocation of common-use resources.The rate of increase in fishery production in the Indian Ocean is slightly greater than the rate for the world as a whole, but the absolute level relative to potential is much lower in the Indian Ocean than elsewhere. Indian Ocean catches by non-Indian Ocean countries amount to about 8% of the total and have been increasing rapidly, a trend that may be expected to continue.Development of inshore fisheries has been promoted by governments of Indian Ocean countries, the private sector of Indian Ocean countries, the private sector of some non-Indian Ocean countries, and bilateral and multilateral assistance agencies. Development of offshore fisheries, especially for tuna, has been carried out by the longline fleets of Japan, followed by Taiwan and Korea. Governments of Indian Ocean countries show great interest in developing those resources for which there is a world demand, including shrimp, tuna, lobster, cuttlefish, and fish meal. Joint ventures with the private sector of economically developed countries are a common mechanism to develop such resources, particularly those in inshore areas such as shrimp.Management tends to be concerned primarily with socioeconomic objectives, particularly the gradual upgrading of the artisanal fisheries. However, among existing international management mechanisms are: a bilateral agreement between Thailand and Malaysia, apparently effective in solving local problems; and the Indian Ocean Fishery Commission, an FAO Regional Commission with 31 member nations, of which 19 are Indian Ocean countries. It has a special charge to consider offshore resource management problems and although it has been reasonably effective in identifying these problems the appropriate political decisions will be more difficult to realize.The Indian Ocean Program arose from the IOFC, is supported by the UNDP as an InterRegional Project, and is executed by FAO. Its purpose is fishery development, promoted through a small professional staff plus consultants. Twenty-six feasibility and other studies have been published and in 1972, the first operational year, the Program initiated or was involved in proposals totalling about $37 million (US).The need for development is urgent and activities must be timely. Impediments to development include handling-distribution problems; specific bottlenecks, such as lack of ice; lack of infrastructure; transplantation of western fishery science, generally not development-oriented; lack of capital, technology and managerial skills; artificial currency-valuation and import restrictions; and poor communications.The need for management exists if mistakes made elsewhere are to be avoided. Attention needs to be given to schemes involving artisanal fisheries. Impediments to management include lack of information necessary to decision taking; lack of new methodology applicable in the absence of conventional data; problems of allocation of common-use resources; difficulties in enforcement; and the fear by countries not engaged in a fishery that management schemes will preclude their subsequent entry into the fishery.