Lok Sabha Question No. 1285 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-11
Subject: Impact of Heatwaves
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Shri Putta Mahesh Kumar

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1285 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 TH   FEBRUARY, 2025

## Impact of Heatwaves

## 1285. Shri Putta Mahesh Kumar:

Will the MINISTER OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING be pleased to state:

- (a)  Whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  study/survey  into  the  impact  of heatwaves on the fisheries-based business in the country during the last five years;
- (b)  if  so,  the  details  regarding  the  total  amount  of  losses  suffered  by  fisheries  due  to heatwaves in the country during such period, State and district-wise in Andhra Pradesh and in Eluru District;
- (c) the details regarding the total number of fisheries that have had to shut down due to heatwaves  over  the  last  five  years  across  India,  State-wise,  district-wise  in  Andhra Pradesh and in Eluru District;
- (d) the details regarding the steps taken by the Government to reduce the losses suffered by fisheries due to heatwaves in the country during such period; and
- (e) whether the Government has undertaken any campaign/initiative to raise awareness regarding the impact of heatwaves on fisheries and solutions for the same, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)  The fisheries research institutes under the aegis of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Government of India have studied the characteristics of the marine heatwaves over the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. However, the intricate interactions that are being happening in the marine ecosystem and the fisheries-based business due to the marine heatwaves are to be studied further.

(b)  and (c): The Department Fisheries, Government of Andhra Pradesh has reported no loss in the fisheries sector due to heatwaves in Andhra Pradesh including Eluru District during past five years.

(d) and (e): The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Ministry of Earth Science, Government of India, has been issuing advisories on the intensity of marine heatwaves and risk categories over the Indian Ocean on a daily basis.To mitigate the  impact  of  heatwaves  on  fisheries  and  the  aquaculture,  the  Fisheries  Department, Government  of  Andhra  Pradesh  conducts  annual  awareness  campaigns  and  issues preventative advisories. Distributed through village-level fisheries assistants (VFAs) and district offices, these resources inform businesses on how to avoid summer fish kills and minimize  losses.  Further,  to  address  the  issues  related  to  climate  change  impacts including  heatwaves,  the  Department  of  Fisheries,  Government  of  India  under  the Pradhan Mantri  Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), has identified 100 coastal fishermen villages situated close to the coastline as Climate Resilient Coastal Fishermen Villages (CRCFV)  for  focused  investment  to  enhance  the  economic  resilience  of  coastal communities  impacted  by  climate  change.  The  program  promotes  climate-resilient fisheries through initiatives such as seaweed cultivation, artificial reefs, sea ranching and use of green fuel etc. Safety and security measures for fishermen and fishing vessels, economic  activities  like  ornamental  fisheries,  and  support  programs  like  insurance, livelihood and nutritional support, Kisan Credit Cards (KCC), and training also supported. The  activities  in  the  identified  coastal  fishermen  villages  are  need-based  facilities, including common facilities like fish drying yards, fish processing centers, fish markets, fishing jetties, ice plants, cold storage, and emergency rescue facilities.Further, ICARFisheries  Research  Institutes  have  been  contributing  to  enhance  aquaculture  through ongoing research, technology development, and capacity-building in marine as well as inland aquaculture funded by the Government of India.

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