Lok Sabha Question No. 555 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-25
Subject: Steps to Curb Over-fishing
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: N.K. Premachandran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No.555

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25 TH  JUNE, 2019

## STEPS TO CURB OVER-FISHING

## 555. SHRI. N. K. PREMACHANDRAN:

Will  the  Minister  of  FISHERIES,  ANIMAL  HUSBANDRY  AND  DAIRYING मात्स्यिकी , पशुपालन और डेिरी मंत्री be pleased to state :

- (a) whether the Government proposes to address the over exploitation of fish, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to improve the infrastructure facility for fishing, if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  introduce  more  positive  economic  and  social outcomes for inshore fishing, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to develop a more valuable asset base in marine fishing sub-sector, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Government proposes to introduce a new system providing for better equity among these stakeholders, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  FISHERIES,  ANIMAL  HUSBANDRY  AND DAIRYING:

## (SHRI PRATAP CHANDRA SARANGI)

(a)  The  potential  of  fishery  resources  available  in  our  jurisdictional  waters  is  periodically revisited through Expert Committees constituted from time to time. The last such Working Group of Experts was constituted on 24 th August 2017 for revalidation of potential fishery resources  available  and  to estimate  the  additional  marine  fisheries  potential  that  could  be harvested on a sustainable basis from different depth, zones and regions of India's sovereign waters. The Working Group has submitted its report on 26.9.2018, wherein potential yield of Indian EEZ is estimated as 5.31 million metric tonnes. Against this potential, the production from  marine  fisheries in 2017-18  has  been  recorded  as  3.69  million  metric  tonnes (Provisional). This indicates that marine fisheries resources are not overexploited.

(b)  A component namely, 'Development of Marine Fisheries, Infrastructure and Post Harvest Operations'  exist  under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  'Blue  Revolution:  Integrated Development  and  Management  of  Fisheries',  under  which  central  financial  assistance  is provided  to  the  States/Union  Territories  for  development  of  fisheries  related  infrastructure facilities. Besides, a new  Scheme  namely,  'Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund' (FIDF) amounting to Rs. 7,522.48 crore has been launched during 201819.

(c)  to  (e)  In  order  to  introduce  more  positive  economic  and  social  outcomes  for  inshore fishing sector the Department of Fisheries, Government of India is implementing components like, motorizations of traditional crafts, procurement of FRP boats, construction of resource specific fishing vessels, mariculture activities, creating of shore based infrastructure facilities like  fish  landing  centres,  ice  plants,  cold  storages  and  fish  markets  etc  under  the  Blue Revolution scheme. Besides, assistance to fishermen for welfare activities like saving-cumrelief, insurance for  fishers, construction of houses, community halls etc are also provided. Blue  Revolution  scheme  is  implemented,  with  focused  attention  to  achieve  economic prosperity of the fishers and to contribute towards food and nutritional security through full potential utilization of water resources in a sustainable manner. A 'National Policy on Marine Fisheries, 2017' has also been notified to guide the actions towards ensuring the health and ecological  integrity  of  the  marine  living  resources  of  India's  EEZ  through  sustainable harvests  for  the  benefit  of  present  and  future  generations  of  the  nation.  The  Policy  puts emphasis on sustainable development, principle of subsidiarity, inter-generational equity and precautionary  approach.  While  keeping  sustainability  of  the  resources  at  the  core  of  all actions,  the  policy  framework  proposes  to  meet  the  national,  social  and  economic  goals, livelihood sustainability and socio-economic upliftment of the fisher community and to guide the coordination and management of marine fisheries in the country.

*****