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1 Introduction
The aquatic food production has remained mostly capture based, with high uncertainties and risks associated. While the production from the capture was more or
less stable from the late eighties, the aquaculture production, since then has increased
manifold. Growth in the global supply of fish for human consumption had been
higher than the population growth rate and hence an increase in the per capita availability is noticed during the last five decades. The average global per capita fish
consumption is reported to be around 20 kg in 2014. Reduction in wastage, more
sophisticated routes of transport, improved trade, perceived health benefits and
increased purchasing capacity has resulted in higher per capita consumption of fish
over the years. A notable change has been the increased production from aquaculture, which rose from 7% in 1974, to about 44% of the total production during 2014.
Fish accounts for about 17% of animal protein intake and 6.7% of all protein
consumed by the global population. It also provides 20% of the average per capita
intake of animal protein for more than 3.1 billion people, which shows its importance on a global scale, particularly to the poorer countries of the world. As a virtue
of its high quality nutrients, it can also play a major role in correcting unbalanced
diets with significant impacts to the population of Low Income Food Deficit
Countries (LIFDCS) and least-developed countries of the world.
2 Status of Fisheries and its Potential
2.1 Marine Fisheries
Global total capture fishery production was 93.4 million tonnes in 2014, out of
which 81.5 million tonnes was from the marine sector and the rest 11.9 million
tonnes from the Inland water bodies. Production of aquatic animals from aquaculture in 2014 was 73.8 million tonnes with an estimated first sale value of USD
160 billion. China contributed more than 60% of the global supply of aquaculture
animals (FAO 2016). Based on FAO’s analysis of assessed commercial fish stocks,
the share of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels decreased from 90% in
1974 to 68.6% in 2013. Many of these stocks are fished at peak levels and require
scientifically based stock enhancement programs to be able to fish at present level
in the future.
The potential fish yield from the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is
revalidated now as 4.41 million tonnes and India is presently harvesting about
3.5 million metric tonnes of fish by employing 1.99 lakh fishing vessels of different
categories. Most of the operations are restricted to the 100 m depth zone along the
Indian EEZ (CMFRI 2017). The production from capture and culture fisheries, in
the country has reached at about 11.41 million tonnes in 2016–17.
C. N. Ravishankar and V. R. Madhu
1 Introduction
The aquatic food production has remained mostly capture based, with high uncertainties and risks associated. While the production from the capture was more or
less stable from the late eighties, the aquaculture production, since then has increased
manifold. Growth in the global supply of fish for human consumption had been
higher than the population growth rate and hence an increase in the per capita availability is noticed during the last five decades. The average global per capita fish
consumption is reported to be around 20 kg in 2014. Reduction in wastage, more
sophisticated routes of transport, improved trade, perceived health benefits and
increased purchasing capacity has resulted in higher per capita consumption of fish
over the years. A notable change has been the increased production from aquaculture, which rose from 7% in 1974, to about 44% of the total production during 2014.
Fish accounts for about 17% of animal protein intake and 6.7% of all protein
consumed by the global population. It also provides 20% of the average per capita
intake of animal protein for more than 3.1 billion people, which shows its importance on a global scale, particularly to the poorer countries of the world. As a virtue
of its high quality nutrients, it can also play a major role in correcting unbalanced
diets with significant impacts to the population of Low Income Food Deficit
Countries (LIFDCS) and least-developed countries of the world.
2 Status of Fisheries and its Potential
2.1 Marine Fisheries
Global total capture fishery production was 93.4 million tonnes in 2014, out of
which 81.5 million tonnes was from the marine sector and the rest 11.9 million
tonnes from the Inland water bodies. Production of aquatic animals from aquaculture in 2014 was 73.8 million tonnes with an estimated first sale value of USD
160 billion. China contributed more than 60% of the global supply of aquaculture
animals (FAO 2016). Based on FAO’s analysis of assessed commercial fish stocks,
the share of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels decreased from 90% in
1974 to 68.6% in 2013. Many of these stocks are fished at peak levels and require
scientifically based stock enhancement programs to be able to fish at present level
in the future.
The potential fish yield from the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is
revalidated now as 4.41 million tonnes and India is presently harvesting about
3.5 million metric tonnes of fish by employing 1.99 lakh fishing vessels of different
categories. Most of the operations are restricted to the 100 m depth zone along the
Indian EEZ (CMFRI 2017). The production from capture and culture fisheries, in
the country has reached at about 11.41 million tonnes in 2016–17.
C. N. Ravishankar and V. R. Madhu