The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India is celebrating the ‘World Fisheries Day’ on 21st November 2020.

For the first time in Fisheries Sector the Government of India will award

    A. Best performing States 2019-20

        a. Odisha (amongst Marine States)

        b. Uttar Pradesh (amongst Inland States)

        c. Assam (amongst Hilly and NE States)

    B. Best fisheries organisation 2019-20

        a. Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development Corporation Ltd (for Marine)

        b. Telangana State Fishermen Cooperative Societies Federation Ltd (for Inland)

        c. Assam Apex Cooperative Fish Marketing and Processing Federation Ltd. (for Hilly region)

    C. Best Districts

        a. Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh as best Marine District

        b. Kalahandi, Odisha as best Inland District

        c. Nagaon, Assam as Best Hilly and NE District

    D. Other awards include - best fisheries enterprise, best fisheries cooperative societies, best individual entrepreneurs, best marine and inland fish farmer, best Finfish and Shrimp hatcheries

Highlights

    • World Fisheries Day is celebrated on 21st November every year to demonstrate solidarity with all fisherfolk, fish farmers and concerned stakeholders throughout the world.

    • The World Fisheries Day helps in highlighting the critical importance to human lives, of water and the lives it sustains, both in and out of water. Water forms a continuum, whether contained in rivers, lakes, and ocean.

    • It started in 1997 where “World Forum of Fish Harvesters & Fish Workers” met at New Delhi leading to formation of “World Fisheries Forum” with representatives from 18 countries and signed a declaration advocating for a global mandate of sustainable fishing practices and policies.

    • Aim is to draw attention to overfishing, habitat destruction and other serious threats to the sustainability of our marine and inland resources.

    • India is a leading fish producing country and second major producer of fish through aquaculture in the world.

    • Fisheries sector in India provides direct employment to about 28 million fishers and fish farmers besides meeting the food and nutritional security and foreign exchange earnings.

    • India contributes about 7.7% to the global fish production and country ranks 4th in global exports of fish products.

    • Centrally Sponsored Scheme “Blue Revolution” was launched in December, 2015 and had made vital contributions towards the development of the sector.

    • The Fisheries sector has contributed about 1.24% to the national GVA and about 7.28% of the agricultural GVA in 2018-19.

About Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana

    • This year, on 10th September, 2020, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched the “Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana” (PMMSY) at an estimated investment of Rs. 20,050 crores for a period of five years, i.e., from 2020-21 to 2024-25.

    • PMMSY aims to achieve fish production to 22 million metric tonnes (MMT) by 2024-25 and also to create an additional employment opportunity to about 55 lakh people.

    • The scheme provides thrust for infusing new and emerging technologies in fisheries and aquaculture to enhance production and productivity, welfare of fishers and fish farmers, creating a conducive environment for private sector participation, development of entrepreneurship, promotion of ease of doing business, innovations and innovative project activities including start-ups, incubators etc.

Certain facts

    • Small-scale fisheries (marine and inland) employ about 90 percent of those involved in fisheries.

    • 65 percent of the reported catch from inland fisheries is from low-income food-deficit countries.

    • Estimates vary, but from around 30 million to over 60 million people in the developing world are involved in inland fisheries; it is thought that about 50 percent are women.

    • More than 25% of the world’s dietary protein is provided by fish.

    • The human population consumes over 100 million tons of fish annually.

    • Over 200 million of Africa’s 1 billion people regularly consume fish and nearly half of this comes from inland fisheries.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants. The views expressed here are personal.)