Lok Sabha Question No. 3526 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-17
Subject: Shortage of Marine Products
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Prof. Sougata Ray

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3526 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17 th DECEMBER, 2024

## Shortage of Marine Products

## 3526. Prof. Sougata Ray:

Will  the  MINISTER  OF  FISHERIES,  ANIMAL  HUSBANDRY  AND  DAIRYING मत्स्यपालन , पशुपालन और डेयरी मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government was aware that the fishing community of the country is facing acute shortage of availability of marine products;
- (b) if so, the reasons for the acute shortage of marine products year by year;
- (c) whether the climate change and rising of sea level caused the shortage of marine products and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  whether  the  Government has  taken any  steps to  check  illegal fishing  by  using heavy machineries; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING (SHRI RAJIV RANJAN SINGH ALIAS LALAN SINGH)

(a) to (c):  States/UTs have reported that there is no shortage of available marine fish resources and the marine fish production of India in the past ten years increased by 28.78%. In the year 2022-23 the estimated Marine Fish Production reported as 44.32 Lakh Tonnes against the estimated potential yield for the Indian EEZ is 53.1 Lakh Tonnes.  Further,  latest  scientific  report  published  by  the  ICAR-Central  Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) in 2022, about 91.1% of India's Marine Fish Stocks  are  in  healthy  condition.  The  studies  indicate  that  there  are  inter-annual fluctuations in marine  fishery resources  due  to changes  in  the climate  and environmental variables but the production from marine fishery followed a stable trend during  the  last  5  years  and  there  is  no  sign  of  'acute  shortage,'  of  marine  fishery stocks.The  fisheries  research  institutes  under  the  aegis  of  Indian Council  of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Government of India have been conducting research on  a  regular  basis  to  understand  the  impacts  of  climate  change  and  develop sustainable, climate-resilient strategies for fisheries and aquaculture.

(d) and (e): The regulatory framework such as Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of fishing by foreign vessels) Act, 1981 and the Marine Fishing Regulation Acts of all maritime  states/union  territories  exists  to  prevent  certain  forms  of  IUU  fishing  by foreign  vessels  and  Indian  vessels  respectively.  Further,  the  production  of  marine products in country is promoted through responsible and sustainable fishing practices and by assisting the fishers and fish farmers under various schemes and programs implemented by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India in close coordination with the State Governments and Union Territories (UT) Administrations, other stakeholders. The 'National Policy on  Marine  Fisheries,  2017'  has  been  notified  by  the  Government  of  India,  which provides  guiding  principles  for  conservation  and  optimum  utilization  of  fishery resources.  Besides,  advisories  are  also  issued  to  the  coastal  States/UTs  for preventing juvenile fishing and ban on destructive fishing practices such as paired bottom trawling or bull trawling and use of artificial or LED lights for fishing. Besides, for  conservation  and  effective  management  of  fishery  resources  and  also  for  sea safety  reasons  the  uniform  ban  on  fishing  is  implemented  in  the  Indian  Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for a period of 61 days from 15th April to 14th June on the East Coast and from 1st June to 31st July on the West Coast. In addition, Fishery Survey of India (FSI) is conducting awareness programs in coastal fishing villages across the country to educate fishers about the FAO-CCRF (Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries) and prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.