Building a blue economy: What India can learn from China

Source- The post is based on the article “Building a blue economy: What India can learn from China” published in “The Indian Express” on 10th April 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Agriculture and allied activities

Relevance– Issue related to blue economy

News– The article explains the potential of fishing sector for blue economy

What are the reasons for the dispute on fishing rights between India and Sri Lanka?

The Indo-Sri Lankan maritime boundary agreements were signed in 1974 and 1976. It allowed fishermen of both nations to enjoy the rights traditionally enjoyed in each other’s waters.

Maritime boundaries lack physical demarcation. So, the lull in fishing activity during the civil war in Sri Lanka, encouraged Indian fishermen to encroach into Sri Lankan waters.

With the end of hostilities in 2009, the Sri Lankan fishing community reclaimed their rights. It brings them into conflict with Indian fishers.

What is the importance of the fishing sector?

The fishing fleet is an important component of the sea power of the state. The role of this fleet has grown sharply. In the two world wars, fishing vessels were widely used as part of the navy for combat tasks.

China  has mobilised the fishing industry to meet the rising demand for protein. China is today a fishery superpower. It owns the world’s largest deep-water fishing (DWF) fleet. China had begun distant deepwater fishing, as far back as in 1985.

China also uses a part of its fishing fleet as a “maritime militia”, which assists the navy and coast guard in their tasks.

What are some facts about the fishing sector in India?

In India, fish is an affordable and rich source of animal protein. It is one of the healthiest options to mitigate hunger and malnutrition.

Since Independence, India’s marine fishery has been dominated by the poor, small-scale fisheries. They deliver only 2% of marine fish to the market, while 98% is caught by mechanised and motorised craft.

India’s fisheries are being transformed into a commercial enterprise. The sector has shown steady growth and has become a major contributor of foreign exchange.

India ranks amongst the world’s leading seafood exporting nations. Fisheries provide livelihood to about 15 million fishers and fish-farmers at the primary level. It generates jobs, along the value-chain in transportation, cold-storages, and marketing.

What are the issues with the fishing sector in India?

India has not invested much in a deepwater fleet. Most of the fishing is being undertaken in coastal waters. India fishermen have to compete with neighbours, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, in restricted fishing grounds.

Fishing vessels often drift into foreign waters. It  leads to apprehension by navies/coast guards and prolonged imprisonment of the crew.

Moreover, the rich resources in India’s EEZ remain underexploited. Much of fishing is done by the better equipped fishing fleets of other Indo-Pacific countries. Some of them indulge in illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing. IUU also has serious security and environmental implications.

Most of India’s fisheries exports are at a low level of value addition. There is less focus on “ready-to-eat” or “ready-to-cook” marine products.

What is the way forward for the fishing sector in India?

India needs to evolve a long-term vision for its fishing industry with focus on four areas:

Mechanisation and modernisation of fishing vessels by providing communication links and electronic fish-detection devices.

Developing deep-water fishing fleets, with bigger, sea-going trawlers equipped with refrigeration facilities.

A DWF fleet will have to be built around the “mothership” concept. Large vessel would accompany the fleet to provide fuel, medical and on-board processing facilities.

Development of modern fishing harbours with adequate berthing and post-harvest facilities, including cold storage, preservation, and packaging of fish.