Fisheries in India are an important source of livelihood in coastal states such as Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu. The fishing community in India depends on waterbodies—both inland and marine. Inland sources include rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams. Seas and oceans are classified as marine waterbodies. Fishing as a means of livelihood is not a new concept.
Importance of Fisheries in India
Nevertheless, with the population rising continuously, fisheries as a source of employment have become quite popular. In recent years, it has become an important source of income generation for the economically backward population. At present, it employs nearly 14.5 million people in our country.
Despite the presence of a significant segment of the population in the fisheries sector, it contributes only 1.4% to GDP. Major reasons for this are low per capita earnings, lack of mobility of labor to other sectors, illiteracy, and indebtedness. Another problem faced by this sector is overfishing and pollution of water bodies. State governments have been making efforts to attract funds to this sector and, thereby, boost production.
The fishing community is still one of the backward communities of our country. Due to low income, the people in this community are trapped in a vicious circle of poverty and indebtedness. Thus, there is the need to make easy credit and finance facilities accessible to them through cooperatives and self-help groups.
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