Fisheries

FISHERIES
Indian fisheries and aquaculture is an important sector of food production, providing nutritional security to the food basket, contributing to the agricultural exports and engaging about fourteen million people in different activities. With diverse resources ranging from deep seas to takes in the mountains and more than 10% of the global biodiversity in terms of fish and shellfish species, the country has shown continuous and sustained increments in fish production since independence. Constituting about 4.4% of the global fish production, the sector contributes to 1.1% of the GDP and 4.7% of the agricultural GDP. The total fish production of 6.57 million metric tones presently has nearly 55% contribution from the inland sector and nearly the same from culture fisheries. Paradigm shifts in terms of increasing contributions from inland sector and further from aquaculture are significations over the years. With high growth rates, the different facets of marine fisheries, coastal aquaculture, inland fisheries, freshwater aquaculture, coldwater fisheries to food, health economy, exports, employment and tourism of the country.
The country has 429 Fish Farmers Development Agencies (FFDAs) and 39 Brackish water Fish Farms Development Agencies (BFDAs) for promoting freshwater and coastal aquaculture. The annual carp seed production is to the tune of 20 billion and that of shrimp about 8 billion, with increasing diversification in the recent past. Along with food fish culture, ornamental fish culture and high value fish farming are gaining importance in the recent past. With over 2.4 lakh fishing crafts operating in the coast, six major fishing harbours, 40 minor fishing harbours and 151 landing centres are functioning to cater to the needs of over 3.5. million fisher folk.
Fish and fish products have presently emerged as the largest group in agricultural exports of India, with 5.2 lakh tonnes in terms of quantity and Rs. 7 ,200 crores in value. This accounts for around 3% of the total exports of the country and nearly 20% of the agricultural exports. More than 50 different types of fish and shellfish products are exported to 75 countries around the world.
Exports-Type of fish :-
Composition of fish
In fishery, there is very wide range of species and varieties available in the sea or produced in inland waters. Each species has its own characteristic in respect of food value, taste, consumers preference and consequently the price. This diversity is also reflected in the export trade of fish from India. In export trade, fishes and their products are grouped in seven. classes viz.
1. Live fish
2. Fresh fish
3. Frozen fish
4. Fillets and fish meat
5. Fish dried, salted or in brine
6. Crustaceans, and
7. Molluscs