Overfishing and Urban Ecological Resilience: Safeguarding India’s Blue and Green Wealth

India stands at an environmental crossroads. According to the UNEP’s Global Environment Outlook 6, marine biodiversity faces a steep decline, with 33% of global fish stocks overexploited. The IPBES Global Assessment Report (2019) warned that over 1 million species face extinction, many within decades, if no action is taken. The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report adds that climate change exacerbates ecosystem vulnerabilities through sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and marine heatwaves. The International Day for Biological Diversity 2025 urges nations to align with the theme — “Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development”, derived from the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). India’s challenge is clear: reconciling ecological resilience in oceans and cities with sustainable development.

How’s the India’s Fishing is Doing?

In India, marine fish production has stabilized at around 3.7 million tons per annum, as per the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (2023). Despite this, widespread poverty, ecological degradation, and regulatory fragmentation persist. Urban biodiversity is equally imperiled: the Forest Survey of India (2023) pegs average green cover in major Indian cities at just 10.26%, with Chennai and Hyderabad losing over 4 square kilometers of forest cover in just two years.

India’s fisheries sector is a vital economic and nutritional pillar:

1. Contribution to Economy: It contributes 1.1% to national GDP and over 7% to agricultural GDP (MoF, 2024–25).
2. Production: India is the second-largest fish producer globally and the fourth-largest exporter (FAO 2022), producing ~14.1 million tons annually (marine and inland combined). Marine fisheries, contribute approximately 4.12 million metric tons (MMT) to the total fish production. Inland fisheries and aquaculture, account for about 12.12 MMT, making up over 75% of the total fish production.
3. Employment: Provides livelihoods to over 28 million people, directly and indirectly, of which ~16 million are in the marine sector (NITI Aayog, 2023).
4. Coastline: India’s coastline stretches 11,098 km, housing 3,688 marine fishing villages and 1,914 landing centres.
5. Exports: Marine product exports were worth ₹63,969 crore in 2023–24, with frozen shrimp alone contributing 40% (MPEDA data). The sector has witnessed significant growth, with seafood exports valued at ₹60,000 crore in 2023–24. Schemes like PM Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) (budget ₹20,050 crore) aim to double exports, enhance fish production to 22 million tonnes by 2024–25, and create 55 lakh jobs.

What is the current issue of Overfishing?

Overfishing poses a significant threat to India’s marine ecosystems and the livelihoods dependent on them. The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) reported in 2022 that over 4% of India’s fish stocks are currently facing overfishing, while 8.2% have already been overfished.

1. Overcapitalization: Mechanized vessels dominate the catch—90% of fishers are small-scale, but they capture just 10% of the harvest.
2. Juvenile Fishing: Widespread use of small mesh (<25mm) nets results in juvenile fish mortality; e.g., over 10 kg of bycatch for every 1 kg of shrimp in trawlers (Arabian Sea study, 2024).
3. Biodiversity Loss: Multi-species bycatch harms reef systems and trophic balance, making recovery from stock collapses difficult or irreversible.
4. Historical Collapses: Canada’s cod fishery crash (1992) and the Pacific sardine collapse (1967–86) show how mismanagement can destroy entire economies.
5. Fishmeal Industry Distortion: The FMFO sector, feeding on juvenile bycatch, converts edible protein into export-based aquafeed, creating perverse market incentives. Fragmented regulation further exacerbates the crisis. Each coastal state has its own Marine Fisheries Regulation Act (MFRA), leading to inconsistent enforcement and fish laundering across borders.

What is the Significance of the Fishing Sector for India?

1. Livelihood Security: The fisheries sector provides direct employment to over 4 million marine fishers, primarily from marginalized coastal communities. Overall, it supports 28 million livelihoods across fishing, processing, and marketing (NITI Aayog, PMF IAS).
   Example: In Odisha, the Chilika Lake fishing community depends almost entirely on estuarine fisheries for daily income.
2. Food and Nutritional Security: Fish is a key source of affordable protein and omega-3 fatty acids, vital for states with low animal protein intake. It is often referred to as “Rich Food for Poor People” for its accessibility and nutrition (PMF IAS). Example: In West Bengal, fish forms a dietary staple, especially among rural populations with limited protein options.
3. Export Revenue and Foreign Exchange: Seafood exports were valued at ₹60,000 crore (~$8 billion) in 2023–24, making fisheries a crucial contributor to India’s foreign exchange reserves (MPEDA, PIB).
   Example: India is the world’s largest exporter of frozen shrimp, with the USA and China being top importers.
4. Regional Development: Coastal states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat rely heavily on fisheries-based microeconomies that sustain local employment and trade. Fisheries infrastructure boosts regional GDP and livelihoods. Example: The port city of Veraval in Gujarat thrives as a hub for marine exports and fish processing units.
5. Gender Role: Women constitute around 56% of the post-harvest fisheries workforce, playing key roles in drying, processing, and marketing of fish (PMF IAS). Empowering them boosts family incomes and local entrepreneurship. Example: In Tamil Nadu, women-run self-help groups manage fish drying yards and retail networks in coastal villages.
6. Climate Mitigation: Sustainable marine ecosystems like mangroves and seagrasses act as major carbon sinks, capable of sequestering 10 times more carbon than terrestrial forests (ResearchGate).
   Example: The Sundarbans mangroves not only support biodiversity but also offset significant carbon emissions.
7. Blue Economy Potential: According to NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Earth Sciences, India’s Blue Economy could contribute $1 trillion to GDP by 2030, with fisheries being a core pillar.
   Example: The Sagarmala project integrates fisheries into port-led development for coastal economic upliftment.
8. Cultural and Indigenous Identity: Fishing sustains traditional knowledge systems, indigenous livelihoods, and community-based conservation practices that preserve biodiversity.
   Example: The ‘Sasi’ fishing method in Kerala, passed down generations, emphasizes harmony with nature and selective harvesting.

What are the Challenges to Sustainable Fishing in India?

1. Overfishing and Stock Depletion: Around 30% of India’s marine fish stocks are overexploited (CMFRI, 2022), driven by indiscriminate trawling, juvenile fishing, and weak monitoring. This threatens long-term sustainability and biodiversity.
   Example: Sardine and mackerel stocks along the southwest coast have shown sharp declines due to excessive harvest pressure.
2. Climate Change Impacts: Rising sea surface temperatures, ocean acidification, and changing currents are disrupting fish breeding patterns, altering migratory routes, and intensifying cyclonic events (IPCC AR6, WMO).
   Example: Cyclone Amphan in 2020 displaced thousands of fishers in West Bengal and Odisha, impacting fishing seasons.
3. Pollution and Habitat Destruction: Marine plastic, oil spills, untreated sewage, and coastal construction degrade coral reefs, mangroves, and estuaries—critical breeding grounds for fish.
   Example: The Ennore Creek in Chennai has suffered massive ecological damage due to industrial effluents and fly ash dumping.
4. Socio-economic Disparities: Though 90% of the fishing population comprises small-scale fishers, they land less than 10% of the total catch and suffer from market exclusion, debt, and poverty.
   Example: In Maharashtra’s Raigad district, mechanised boats dominate markets, leaving artisanal fishers with minimal income.
5. Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing: IUU fishing causes massive ecological and economic loss, estimated to reduce global catches by 11–26 million tonnes annually (FAO, 2022), and undermines regulatory efforts.
   Example: In India’s east coast, foreign vessels are often found trawling in Indian waters without permits, flouting marine laws.
6. Inadequate Infrastructure: Deficits in cold storage, processing units, landing centres, and transport networks result in post-harvest losses of up to 20-25% in marine fish (MoFPI, 2023).
   Example: In Kerala, small harbours without ice plants force fishers to sell fresh catch at reduced rates to middlemen.
7. Policy and Regulatory Gaps: The Marine Fishing Regulation Acts (MFRAs) differ across coastal states, enabling regulatory evasion; fish banned in one state can be legally landed in another.
   Example: Juvenile threadfin bream protected in Kerala is frequently sold legally in Tamil Nadu, undermining conservation gains.
8. Data Deficiencies and Scientific Gaps: Decisions on catch limits and fishing licenses are often based on historical rights or vessel size, not robust stock assessments, leading to unsustainable practices.
   Example: India lacks a nationwide real-time fishery database, unlike New Zealand’s QMS-based management system.

What can be the Way Forward?

1. National Fisheries Framework Law: Harmonising state-level Marine Fishing Regulation Acts (MFRAs) into a unified law will standardise Minimum Legal Size (MLS), gear restrictions, and closed seasons nationwide. Example: Kerala–Tamil Nadu overlap.
2. Quota Management System (QMS): Pilot science-based catch quotas and tradable fishing rights starting with high-value species, inspired by New Zealand’s QMS. Example: Hoki quota model.

3. Ban Destructive Fishing Gear: Mandate Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs), LED deterrents, and selective gear to reduce bycatch and protect vulnerable species. Example: Odisha TED success.
4. Reform FMFO Industry: Cap bycatch quotas, redirect low-value catch to local nutrition schemes, and promote alternative aquafeeds. Example: Kerala bycatch program.
5. Community Co-Management: Empower fisher cooperatives and local councils as co-managers of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) for better conservation. Example: Chilika Lake model.
6. Technology and Infrastructure: Deploy FISHNET, AI-based monitoring, and e-permitting; improve cold chains under PMMSY for better value retention. Example: Tamil Nadu FISHNET.
7. Urban Green-Blue Integration: Implement UN-Habitat’s 3-30-300 Rule to enhance ecological resilience in marine cities through nature-based urban design. Example: Kochi wetland buffer.
8. Ecological Restoration: Support projects like Pallikaranai wetland and Koyambedu greening to revive coastal biodiversity and climate resilience. Example: Chennai marshland revival.

Conclusion:
India’s “marine wealth is vast, but not infinite”. The UNEP Blue Economy Report 2021 warns that ocean ecosystems can collapse if overfishing, pollution, and coastal degradation go unchecked. Nobel laureate Elinor Ostrom stressed that “commons must be governed by collective, polycentric systems”—a principle that holds true for both oceans and cities. On this International Day for Biological Diversity, India must seize the opportunity to weave a new narrative—of scientific quotas, equitable access, green cities, and blue prosperity. The ocean is not a bottomless larder. Sustainability is not just a choice—it is our obligation to future generations.