India Overall

Northeast
Southeast
Southwest
Northwest

1961-1970

1971-1980

1981-1990

1991-2000

2001-2009

6.6

0.8

6.3

2.1

-0.1

27.0

16.9

11.7

4.4

19.1

3.8

3.8

2.8

2.3

-3.2

9.4

-3.2

10.7

0.7

2.9

3.9

5.1

3.8

3.9

-4.8

2.2 Declines and sharp fluctuations

in key fisheries
Analysis on the basis of data-sets available with the Central marine fisheries research institute
(CMFRI) derives the following resources groups across four broad groups - declining, less
abundant, depleted and collapsed.a
Resource
group

Average Landings
(000 Tonnes)
2008-2010

Max annual landings

(000 tonnes)
1950-2010

Status

White fish

113.63

25,337.00

Declining

Ribbon fishes

151.40

235.05

Less Abundant

Flying fishes

1.15

13.16

Depleted

Threadfins

10.08

14.85

Less Abundant

Flat fishes

43.98

63.35

Less Abundant

Elasmobranchs

48.36

75.30

Less Abundant

Mullets

6.89

9.98

Less Abundant

Unicorn Cod

0.62

14.57

Collapsed

Source: CMFRI 21

Commercially important seer fish, Bombay duck and silver pomfret fisheries have also shown
fluctuations, while the volume of sardines in total landings- including oil sardines- has grown
steadily. In 2009, this single group accounted for 16% of Indias total catch.

Cyclones
and fewer fish

12,00,000
10,00,000
8,00,000
6,00,000
4,00,000
2,00,000
0

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Southwest

493,
040

626,
423

589,
538

772,
387

10,
184

907,
729

796,
438

825,
885

839,
106

779,
494

711,
908

792,
095

828,
686

757,
936

792,
334

848,
894

744,
757

861,
793

903,
258

892,
802

841,
857

938,
329

10,
082

11,
106

874,
770

Kerala

325,
536

382,
791

303,
286

468,
808

647,
526

662,
890

564,
161

560,
742

574,
739

568,
034

531,
646

572,
055

574,
774

542,
696

580,
773

604,
113

514,
139

589,
519

623,
293

616,
839

536,
215

591,
902

619,
255

670,
095

517,
720

Karnataka

118,
654

189,
231

220,
575

212,
411

251,
012

178,
334

156,
654

168,
810

142,
369

149,
699

148,
941

169,
068

187,
758

164,
710

165,
098

182,
914

193,
680

207,
288

184,
075

192,
816

224,
041

240,
888

291,
813

330,
060

285,
659

Goa

48,
850

54,
401

65,
677

91,
168

119,
866

66,
505

75,
623

96,
333

121,
998

61,
761

31,
321

50,
972

66,
154

50,
530

46,
463

61,
867

36,
938

64,
986

95,
890

83,
147

81,
601

105,
539

97,
162

110,
508

71,
391

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000 2001 2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Northwest

623,
524

571,
463

522,
143

522,
607

689,
594

683,
401

824,
756

790,
430

736,
081

857,
525

812,
898

841,
310

105,
5988

114,
7718

871,
908

105,
2550

863,
090

917,
853

859,
199

759,
694

704,
248

905,
910

847,
008

949,
797

880,
558

Gujarat

287,
715

256,
245

236,
935

207,
363

327,
264

337,
677

440,
594

462,
735

402,
078

533,
697

496,
436

502,
162

665,
921

731,
977

574,
876

684,
326

467,
124

468,
254

444,
105

408,
982

421,
873

571,
459

538,
245

598,
813

564,
621

Maharashtra

335,
809

315,
218

285,
208

315,
244

362,
330

345,
724

384,
162

327,
695

333,
003

323,
828

316,
462

339,
148

390,
067

415,
741

297,
032

368,
222

395,
966

449,
599

415,
094

350,
712

282,
375

334,
451

308,
761

350,
984

315,
937

Trends in landings - Andhra Pradesh & Tamil Nadu

7,00,000
6,00,000
5,00,000
4,00,000
3,00,000
2,00,000
1,00,000
0

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Andhra Pradesh

118,
541

152,
153

139,
160

123,
560

123,
128

118,
232

121,
150

149,
882

167,
939

167,
098

148,
467

162,
862

193,
351

190,
108

233,
276

189,
529

152,
757

164,
911

192,
007

201,
348

159,
677

219,
095

208,
296

222,
811

Tamil Nadu

200,
551

242,
041

303,
633

295,
664

281,
300

303,
275

357,
497

371,
108

337,
552

401,
497

421,
924

435,
673

472,
513

422,
622

374,
148

393,
332

350,
709

398,
666

355,
163

392,
753

279,
965

361,
773

428,
432

425,
802

Source : Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute

State

AveragE Discards at Sea

(Mechanised Trawlers)

West Bengal

4,440

Odisha

99,247

Andhra Pradesh

207,232

Tamilnadu

212,969

Kerala

429,074

Karnataka

161,042

Maharashtra

90,037

Gujarat

690

Andamans & Nicobar

13,200

Total

1,217,931

2003

2004

488,
774

1981

476,
124

522,
147

473,
451

341,
558

368,
523

336,
745

309,
157

344,
716

308,
750

348,
554

301,
689

301,
689

246,
416

214,
336

213,
396

227,
580

219,
137

227,
233

212,
086

162,
661

174,
384

183,
110

179,
905

105,
693

127,
628

186,
758

112,
287

233,
660

403,
602

442,
039

362,
473

374,
043

330,
233

352,
536

433,
624

445,
682

464,
4219

489,
946

594,
146

658,
144

542,
397

647,
510

705,
770

624,
600

593,
082

Mechanised

884,
292

936,
198

101,
3640

114,
2813

105,
3331

112,
4092

120,
0133

124,
2732

146,
0280

139,
1924

151,
1084

160,
1202

160,
7789

172,
6194

157,
7068

172,
1767

200,
0627

192,
6594

158,
0327

178,
8902

158,
7645

176,
7751

169,
8215

175, 158,
8427 0351

Total

137,
3066

141,
2322

153,
5787

161,
6264

152,
2517

167,
9373

164,
9165

178,
5549

220,
8598

214,
2713

222,
2111

227,
6994

224,
5124

232,
5146

222,
5028

238,
0845

269,
2426

263,
5677

240,
1706

265,
9132

229,
2703

258,
9645

258,
7095

256, 227,
2932 9126

Non Mechanised
OB

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2005

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

Area Inshore
(0-50m) per fisher

167.77

99.66

50.66

33.88

Area Inshore
(0-50m) per boat

789.55

310.55

204.77

129.33

Area Offshore
(50-200m) per fisher

240.55

138.00

81.11

58.88

Area Offshore
(50-200m) per boat

1316.88

477.88

201.88

194.22

State

Actual fishing hours

(in millions)

Catch per hour

(kg/hr)

1991

2000

1991

2000

Andhra Pradesh

1.2

4.12

38.5

17.5

Tamil Nadu

4.7

7.1

38.2

24.7

Kerala

2.9

4.0

73.6

57.4

Maharashtra

3.6

7.3

54.0

32.5

Gujarat

1.5

4.8

113.0

87.4

FISHING

FLEET SIZE

Optimal size

Potential
Overcapacity (%)

Traditional non-motorised

106044

31058

241

Small scale motorised

76057

20928

311

Mechanised

59619

15998

273

GROUPS

% of Potential
Yield

GROUPS

% of Potential
Yield

Elasmobranchs

70.00

Eels

111.10

Oil Sardines

139.00

Perches

84.71

Other Sardines

89.95

Flatfishes

81.55

Bombay Duck

97.00

Silverbellies

93.97

Ribbon Fish

78.20

Pomfrets

99.05

Seerfish

82.60

Penaeid shrimps

95.71

Coastal Tunas

74.88

Non-Penaeid shrimps

105.87

Cat Fish

121.26

Cephalopods

119.93

Maharashtra, on the west coast and Odisha and West Bengal on the east coast, with complaints
from fishermen that vessels from neighbouring states continue to catch from one State and land
in another, leading to low catches during the post ban period (Pramod, 2010).
Almost all coastal states continue to be plagued by weak enforcement of state Marine Fishing
Regulation Acts (MFRAs), with the result that illegal fishing, persists in territorial waters. In any
event, state MFRAs remain essentially about regulating different types of fishing vessels in
different zones within territorial waters (12 nm). Given the unfolding fisheries crisis, MFRAs need
to also put in place effective measures for the conservation and management of fish resources.
The table below gives an indication of the implementation problems plaguing MFRAs in all
coastal states.

State

Brief Analysis

Gujarat

Reported that almost all trawlers use one of the smallest mesh sizes in the
cod end of trawl net (8-12 mm) essentially resulting in recruitment overfishing,
in violation of the state fisheries act.
Estimates of illegal catches by trawlers in the 5 nautical mile artisanal zone
give an estimate of 740 to 1,130 tonnes annually.
Intrusions by trawlers into artisanal zone actively reported in Kutch, Jamnagar,
Bhavnagar, Bharuch and Valsad districts.

Maharashtra

Illegal incursions by multi-day trawlers into dol-net fishing grounds have been
actively reported by small-scale fishermen in Thane and Mumbai districts and
such illegal incursions are attributed for the decline in catch of Pomfrets,
Shrimps and Bombay duck.
Estimates suggest that illegal catches by trawler intrusions into inshore
traditional grounds amount to loss of 1100 to 1800 tonnes each year
for the artisanal sector.
Operation of mechanized purse-seine fishing within territorial waters
in violation of the state act.
While trawl gear, fishing in territorial waters of Thane, Mumbai, Raigad and
Sindhudurg district are required to have mesh size of > 35 mm, it is reported
that these are frequently violated with mesh size of 15-25 mm.

State

Brief Analysis

Karnataka

Karnataka Marine Fisheries Regulation act requires all mechanized trawlers

operating along the coast to use a cod end mesh size of at least 30 mm.
However, it is widely reported that most trawlers were using 10-15 mm cod
end mesh size resulting in indiscriminate capture of juveniles of fish and shrimps,
which has also contributed to substantial discards during the monsoon season.
Estimates suggest that illegal fish catches by trawlers in the inshore traditional
zone result in annual loss of 1200 - 1950 tonnes.

Kerala

Over 80% of trawlers engaged in shrimp trawling use cod end mesh size of 18
mm, while the remaining 20% used mesh size varying from 20-25 mm, violating
the state fisheries act, which stipulates that less than 35mm stretched mesh
is while fishing in territorial waters. Subsequently, studies suggest that shrimp
trawlers use a mesh size of 10-18 mm, indicating a further decline in cod end
mesh size to target even smaller sized juveniles of shrimps and fish.
Violations by trawlers into waters less than 20 m depth (reserved for traditional
fishermen since 1980) have been reported since the inception of inshore
artisanal zone.
Estimates of illegal catches by trawlers in the 5 nautical mile artisanal zone are
in the range of 2100-3320 tonnes annually, with such illegal incursionsreported
across all coastal districts, with a higher frequency in Allepey, Ernakulam,
Kozhikode, Kollam and Kasargod districts.

Tamil Nadu

Estimates suggest that illegal incursions by trawlers into the artisanal zone result
in losses in the range of 460 to 1220 tonnes, with a higher frequency reported in
Nagapattinam and Rameshwaram districts.

Andhra Pradesh

Estimates on illegal catches in the artisanal zone range from 1300 to 2600
tonnes annually.

Odisha

Illegal fishing violations ranged from mesh size violations, inter-sectoral conflicts
between motorised fishing vessels and trawlers due to incursions into inshore
artisanal zone.
Estimates on illegal catches by trawlers in the artisanal are in the range of 2100
to 4100 tonnes annually.
Number of mechanised fleets significantly above those directed by the Odisha
Marine fisheries regulation act

West Bengal

Estimates of losses annually from illegal fish catch by trawlers in the inshore
traditional zone are in the range of 800 to 1900 tonnes.
Regularised illegal fishing by mechanized fleets within 20 kms, in violation
of the West Bengal Marine fisheries regulation act, many with unlicensed
trawl nets.

PAGE 07-08
A nights catch, Slender Pinjalo Pinjalo lewisi (right) and Pickhandle
baracuda Sphyraena jello (left). Though the catch may appear large
to the untrained eye, for the fishermen, its a small catch that will
barely cover their diesel and labour costs. Peeyush Sekhsaria/
Greenpeace