Bhopal: India aims to raise its annual fish production to 30 million tonnes (yaani 3 crore tonnes) in the next five years, Union Fisheries Secretary Abhilaksh Likhi said on Friday, stressing that the growth must also improve the livelihoods of small-scale fishers, IANS reported.
Likhi was speaking at a two-day national workshop in Bhopal where the development phase of India's National Plan of Action (NPOA) for small-scale inland fisheries was launched. The plan is being developed by the Union Department of Fisheries with the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO), under the framework of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
India currently produces 19.7 million tonnes of fish a year, with inland fisheries — rivers, canals, reservoirs, lakes and wetlands — accounting for about three-fourths of the total. Seafood exports have crossed Rs 70,000 crore and the target is to raise them to Rs 1.25 lakh crore (yaani Rs 1,25,000 crore).
Likhi called for a nationwide outreach programme to take the proposed plan directly to fishing communities, saying the document must translate into practical improvements in livelihoods rather than remain confined to government offices. He also said region-specific solutions would be essential for sustainable fisheries management.
Climate change and deteriorating water quality, including falling oxygen levels in water bodies, are major concerns for inland fisheries, Likhi said, adding that the plan must focus on sustainable fishing, stronger value chains, better fisher incomes and helping communities cope with climate-related challenges.