The Growing Impact of Indian Fisheries on the Global Stage
Guest Author: Dilip Ghoshal, Ex Director Fisheries, State of West Bengal
03 September 2024, New Delhi: India Fisheries is well known to be a major sector that contributes to the economy, food security, and livelihoods with 9 million fishermen families engaged within its sovereign EEZ. India is also home to 10% of global fish biodiversity and is one of the 17 mega biodiversity-rich countries.
India with 14.5 Million Tons of Fish production (2020-2021) ranks 3rd largest on our planet (8% global share),1.1% of India’s GVA (6.72% of India’s AgriGVA), and has nearly 8 Billion $ in exports value in 2022-2023 (4thlargest in planet), 2nd largest aquaculture producer(15000 hectares developed) and is also the largest shrimp producer. This is in a context that Global Fish and seafood production overall has risen 5x in 60 Years (with aquaculture/fish farming nearly half) with global share.
Enablers for Position of strength for India emerge from ancient times practices on aquaculture, natural endowment both in Marine fisheries and in Inland fisheries, actual earnest effort by central govt and state govt, further reinforced by central govt policy imperative time to time (To name from recent decades -PMMSY, MSJA, Kishancredit Card, FishForFuture), Pradhan Mantri Kishan Sampada Yojana, Micro Food processing linked credit, Separate Budgetary allocation to Department of fisheries Govt of India, State Govt Program design and implementations (Extension Services & FFPOS, Insurance, beneficiaries under savings cum relief), allocation of varied resources (Like cage fisheries, Mined out area fisheries, Large volume fish lings release under various programs including those CSR of PSU/PSE) and incentives of return (Like Agricultural income exemption) linked to three factors of production – Human, technology, Finance.
In the past 9 months or so, globally and in India – visuals and reports came around below three serialized inter-related parts, both of Positive hue and of Cautionary texture.
1. “Blue” economy (GDP, GVA, Exports and new Exports like ornamental fish, and seaweed)
2. It’s linked to Technologies/solutions and the emergence of state-backed science programs
3. Even geopolitics linked to the Blue Economy
New Positives Emerging
Global Fisheries conference event hosted in India, New investments in IOR -Indian Ocean Ring fisheries sector supply chain maintaining & security enforcement to fight fishing trawlers seizure by pirates, India Joining Mangrove Alliance for climate – MISHTI (Mangrove initiative for shoreline habitats and tangible incomes and even raising carbon credit for mangrove planting, Green financing & preferential softer cost trade financing norms adopted by some ASEAN country for fisheries, UN FAO funding and anchoring Marine Biotechnology studies & research in ASEAN region along with fisheries boosting scientific research vessel launched by Liberia.
Onboard Fisheries Survey India vessel of India Matsya Varsini Kochi has been active for learning journeys, possibility emerging where Earth observation data and it’s generated insights services condensed into a single online store like NextOcean).
Example Cautionary
Repeal of Fishing treaty between different sovereigns (example 1956 fishing treaty repeal in Barents sea); cases where courts & administrative state interlocked in overturning longstanding legal precedent that impacts way more than just Fisheries, in some cases, Administrative States ignoring Experts view /scientific recommendations; Increased occurrence of large quantity Fish / Mussels/Clams/Other invertebrates damaged due to climate – overfishing and unknown factors in various geographies (example thousands of dead sardines washed ashore in Hakodate’s beach on Hokkaido Japan), Another example – Aquaculture fisheries need fish feed – which is heavily reliant on wild-caught fish (-over 69% fish meal and 75% of fish oil production used in fish feed production/farmed animals feed, that appears unsustainable – example 50% drop in fish meal production in peru and ; china fish meal and fish oil production poor due to fishing restriction properly implemented/enforced).
In Search of New Solutions
In sequence to above described Positive and cautionary areas – the fisheries sector in India has opportunities further for effective new solution ecosystem development in serialized four areas demand special focus below with added some India relevant cues: some can be also projected into universal interest across the planet (India’s UPI (digital payment) and Ru-Pay has now gone live in multiple West, in Eurasia and in ASEAN countries).
Productivity enhancers: Illustration – in UK India FTA discussion on access to UK-specific fish import into India with emphasis on better cold storage, and more reliable transport.
Wastage minimisers across the fisheries value chain: Illustration – Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) certification digitalisation would avoid trading parties having incorrect versions of certificates resulting in more transparent – frictionless trading
Traceability enhancers: Illustration – During COVID-19 time, there were reports of some batches not free from infection. Within the country – traces of intense chemicals mentioned in some states for some batches that came from another state.
Sustain enablers to reduce/stop soil erosion, and siltation of water bodies and develop eco-friendly solutions for coastal fisheries. Illustration – Cyclone time saline water ingress into coastal hatcheries, species reduction in the sea; Some Freshwater fish species within India (possibly in need of legislation review) threatened. Union Govt declared Bluewater2.0 scheme (related to restoration adaptation measures, coastal aquaculture and mariculture)
Beyond Production Augmentation -Policies and Programs widening
Specifically in India, fisheries policy formulations also can be extended from the current production augmentation focus and mixed with conservation focus also, reduce variation between states within India.
Fisheries cooperatives governance
It can include genuine nonpartisan interest, voice of weakest and most marginalized members, imbibe election rotations, and embark on true transparency via digital platforms for own operations.
Since Variations among states, centers and states and a lot of scientific Knowledge, learning, social assessments, and socio-legal cases evidence reusable – there can be more jointed (of field to board rooms) “case center approach” at some identified Government level of formally having approved examples at different states turning examples of positive changes /approved repeatable ones to a case study for fisheries as part of “Digital India” – Like Universities, Noted journalism houses to store digital format (includes a collection of cases, and their accompanying instructor materials and software, is available from the Case Centre.
More certain steps for taking Agri Banks beyond 13 states with standardized Business Processes, common accounting systems and Management Information Systems; Farms and Finance – More enablers, More specializations: The Taylor Swift effect on course to become real. India’s race to seize 1 trillion $ potential by 2028 (for the Agriculture, food, and feed industry a diverse sector that comprises a wide range of activities- Crop production, Livestock production, Fishery, Food processing, Feed manufacturing) can be sensed. Fisheries has a good foundation (with Govt assistance, subsidy) with the potential to build the edifice of a Higher Value economy segment on the foundation (for example Pradhan Mantri Kishan Sampada Yojana, Value Ad set to be in focus)
There can be larger space for States and centers more closely working for small Projects. The aim can be to reduce the Gap with Advanced fishing nations.
Investment quota for Fish processing farms and Industries and Small Projects for value-added export growth? (Nigeria, in Ogun cassava, has a Special Agri-industrial Processing zone / SAPZ for rice, poultry and fish. Russia has also done the same. Fisheries in Liberia, and groundnuts in Malawi – individual small projects, tinkering around the edges but no systemic approach ensured value-added export growth in those places, same replicateable in India). Seychelles has a major Fisheries industry, as most small islands, so it’s not only about services. . . No country can develop without industry. The collective agreement for Humans will be positioned as an accelerator for economic development (shift it to – medium-high tech (industrial) sectors by creating attractive working conditions to attract preferred resource allocations. Illustration In Europe – there are many sectors where workers get specific working conditions like more contributions towards pension. Some get even extra monthly salaries(>12). That is especially true in Germany and other countries where trade unions are very strong and even have a seat on the board of major companies. In Italy, bank employees used to get discounted mortgages/loans as part of collective agreements.
Whether more and more fish feed production within India can be taken through state-backed science programs? India imports large amounts of fish feed (India is among The top 3 importers of Fish feed globally) – substituting import is GDP addition (this needs specialization development) without further loss of time.
Green Financing through trade finance arrangements feasible for fisheries? Reportedly some Indian states exploring carbon financing for wood as fuel replacement. On similar lines, there are scopes within Fisheries, which merit the attention of the Government – central and the states.
Shifting Wetlands More to Biodiversity hotspots – Development alternatives
Wetlands get the attention of varied degrees with added scientific approaches from the early 80s. some states in India have legislation in place to resist wetlands damage and to preserve etc. Some states added geofencing through geospatial data to add teeth to administration on this aspect and some states have more basic problems of administrative arrangements effectiveness around these. Use of satellite data for establishing and preventing illegal sand mining in some cases is pursued earnestly by various Government agencies in some states. Manufactured sand approved by IS383 and state agency-owned plants for construction & demolition waste recycling easier, Thus more ways and means available as “Development Alternative” to prevent dumping C&D (demolition waste/malba) in our precious wetlands, into unguarded humble looking wetlands. Additionally, Sand Mining areas from riverbeds and water bodies turned into biodiversity species hotpots and fisheries also deserve the attention of the public authority for enlightened policy and implementation.
Revival of dead water bodies and mini wetlands across peri-urban landscapes when Biodiversity rich through community effort, including corporate foundations take towards cherished sustainable and resilient future an imperative for Development Alternatives.
The “YNWA” (You Not Walk Alone) theme (from the title song of the famed football club) should be our shared personification in this overall Journey of and pervasiveness like the tune of “Subject Three” that pervades beyond the boundary of immediate.
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