State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024 Report

State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024 Report

Context:

As per the State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024 report by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), for the first time the total production of aquatic animals through aquaculture (farming) exceeded the total production of aquatic animals through wild fisheries (fishing).

More on News: 

• As per the Report, world total fisheries and aquaculture production reached a record of 223.2 million tonnes in 2022.
  • World aquaculture production reached a new record of 130.9 million tonnes in 2022.
  • World capture fisheries produced 92.3 million tonnes in 2022

• The total global volume of fish, shrimp, clams and other aquatic animals harvested by farming has topped the amount fished in the wild from the world’s waters.
  • The total amount of aquatic animals captured in the wild fell from 91.6 million tons in 2021 to 91 million tons in 2022.

Highlights of the Report: 

• Catla (Labeo catla) is eighth on the list of ‘Top 10 species of aquatic animals harvested’  by humans in 2022. 
  • Catla is a freshwater fish species native to the Indian subcontinent.
• Whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei), with 6.8 million tonnes, was the top aquatic animal species produced in 2022.
  • Catla, Rohu (Labeo rohita), and Mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala) – are three of the most farmed fish in India’s inland fisheries.
• Asian countries produced 70% of the aquatic animals, followed by countries in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean (9% each), Africa (7%), Northern America (3%), and Oceania (1%). 
  • China remained the major producer (36%), followed by India (8%), Indonesia (7%), Vietnam (5%) and Peru (3%).   
• In 2022, the primary sector of fisheries and aquaculture employed around 61.8 million people, compared with 62.8 million in 2020, with 54% engaged in fisheries and 36% in aquaculture.
• Europe and Asia maintained their positions as the leading exporting continents for aquatic animal products, accounting for 37% and 35% of the total export value, respectively.
  • India slipped to sixth position in exporting in  2022, having previously been the fourth-largest exporter of aquatic animal products in 2019.
• Fisheries and aquaculture have significance towards attaining Sustainable Development Goal 14 – Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Fisheries and aquaculture:  Fisheries involve the capture of wild fish and shellfish from marine and inland waters, whereas aquaculture involves the controlled cultivation of aquatic organisms such as fish, molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic plants in freshwater, brackish water, or saltwater environments.

India :

• As per the State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024 Report:
  • India ranks 3rd both in World aquaculture production and World capture fisheries.
• India is the third largest fish-producing country in the world accounting for 8% of global production and contributing about 1.09% and over 6.72% to the country’s GVA and agricultural GVA respectively.
• Regarding employment, the sunrise sector supports the livelihood of over 30 million people in India. 
• India is one of the largest exporters of farmed shrimps which alone contributes about 70% of India’s seafood exports.

Challenges in the Indian Fisheries sector:

• Lack of cold chain facilities: Resilient cold chain facilities for aqua products include ice plants, cold storage, reefer and insulated vans, and chilling units are needed. 
  • However, the fish industry in India uses only 1% of the total storage capacity available in the country.
  • Long-distance movement of a perishable product in thermocol boxes with a limited quantity of ice impacts the quality of the product. 
• Slow adoption of new techniques and technologies: The projected mariculture production potential available in the Indian region is 4 to 8 million tonnes annually but currently is at less than 0.001 million tonnes per year.
  • Fishermen do not have new hatchery technologies, water-efficient aquaculture practices,  and mechanised boats with the latest GPS/satellite tracking systems.
• Limited extension services:  Extension services provide the information and services needed by an aqua farmer, marine or inland fisher.
  • For example, many aqua farmers do not have easy access to soil- and water-testing facilities, consultations, and real-time market information
• Post-harvest losses: Fish is a highly perishable commodity, and its putrefaction starts right from the point of harvest. 
  • Wastage of fisheries products is very high in India.
  • Such post-harvest losses impact the availability of edible fish in the market and increase the stress on resources for the production of higher volumes.

Initiatives taken by the government: 

• Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY):
  • Ministry: Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying
  • Investment: Of INR 20,050 Cr for five years effective from FY 2020-21 till FY 2024-25 in all States/Union Territories (UT).
  • Umbrella scheme with two separate components namely (a) Central Sector Scheme (CS) and (b) Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS).
  • Aim and Objectives: 
    • To bring about the Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of the fisheries sector in India.
    • Harnessing of fisheries potential in a sustainable, responsible, inclusive and equitable manner 
    • Enhancing of fish production and productivity through expansion, intensification, diversification and productive utilization of land and water
    • Modernizing and strengthening of value chain – post-harvest management and quality improvement
    • Doubling fisher’s and fish farmers’ incomes and generation of employment
    • Enhancing contribution to Agriculture GVA and exports

• Targets: 

• • Enhancing fish production by an additional 70 lakh tonne till 2024-25,
  • Increasing fisheries export earnings to Rs.1,00,000 crore,
  • Doubling of incomes of fishers and fish
  • Reducing post-harvest losses from 20-25% to about 10%
  • Generation of an additional 55 lakhs of direct and indirect gainful employment opportunities in the fisheries sector and allied activities.

• Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF): 

• To provide concessional finance for the creation of fisheries infrastructure facilities and fisheries infrastructure projects in all states/UTs.

• National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases(NSPAAD):
  • It has a major emphasis on strengthening farmer-based disease surveillance systems.

• SHAPHARI’ Certification of Hatcheries: ‘SHAPHARI’  meaning ‘Superior quality fish suitable for consumption for even an Ascetic”. 
• It is a process certification applicable to an Aqua FARM that conforms to the basic guidelines for Good Aquaculture Practices (GAP) and meets the standards of SHAPHARI.