The Hindu Editorial Analysis
22 May 2025
Overfishing — the threat to ocean wealth, livelihoods
(Source – The Hindu, National Edition – Page No. – 08)
Topic: GS 3: Environment | Conservation of Marine Resources | Livelihoods of Coastal Communities | Sustainable Development
Context
- India’s marine fisheries sector captures around 3–4 million tonnes annually, indicating its near-maximum potential has been reached.
- Yet, the benefits are inequitably distributed, with 90% of fishers (small-scale) harvesting only 10% of the catch, while mechanised fleets dominate the volumes and incomes.
- The editorial highlights how indiscriminate fishing, poor regulation, and bycatch waste are leading to ocean depletion, biodiversity loss, and livelihood crises.
Introduction
India’s oceans are abundant, but not infinite.
As fishing intensity nears ecological limits, overfishing now threatens marine wealth, food security, and small-scale livelihoods.
A shift toward ecosystem-based regulation, fisher empowerment, and sustainable harvesting is urgently needed.
Key Challenges in India’s Marine Fisheries
1. Unequal Access and Returns
- Small-scale fishers dominate participation (90%) but catch only 10% due to limited access to deeper waters and mechanised fleets.
- Over 75% of marine fisher households live below the poverty line, with rising input costs and falling catches.
2. Massive Bycatch and Waste
- For every kilogram of shrimp captured on some trawlers, over 10 kg of juvenile fish and non-target species are discarded.
- This not only kills future stocks but severely disrupts food webs and marine biodiversity.
3. Fragmented Regulation and Enforcement
- Coastal States operate under inconsistent Marine Fisheries Regulation Acts (MFRAs), making national coordination difficult.
- Unscrupulous operators exploit loopholes by offloading juvenile catch in one State and selling in another, undermining sustainability.
Ecological and Economic Fallout
1. Stock Collapse and Irreversible Losses
- Fish stock collapses seen in Canada (Northern cod), the U.S. (Pacific sardine), and elsewhere show that unchecked overfishing leads to long-term or irreversible declines.
- India’s own coastal fisheries show signs of shrinking size and maturity of catch, signaling ecological stress.
2. Nutritional and Export Losses
- High-value juvenile fish are often lost to fish meal and fish oil (FMFO) exports, depriving local nutrition needs.
- Inshore biodiversity loss impacts the livelihoods and food security of coastal and rural communities.
Solutions and Global Best Practices
1. Quota-Based Regulation
- New Zealand’s Quota Management System (QMS) uses individual catch quotas, successfully stabilising stocks since 1986.
- India could adapt this model with science-based catch limits, minimum legal sizes, and closed seasons.
2. Reform Incentives and Subsidies
- Redirect subsidies toward gear improvements, surveillance, and biodiversity-friendly fishing.
- Support local aquaculture brood stocks over industrial-scale FMFO extraction.
3. Empowering Fishers and Cooperatives
- Coastal cooperatives and village councils should be made co-managers of marine protected areas (MPAs) and fishery sanctuaries.
- Empowering them with training, real-time data, and access to value chains builds resilience and accountability.
4. Consumer and Market Responsibility
- Encourage urban and global buyers to support legally landed, sustainable seafood, rejecting exports that undermine biodiversity.
Conclusion
Overfishing is not just an ecological threat—it is an injustice to small-scale fishers and future generations.
India must transition to science-led marine stewardship that prioritises equity, sustainability, and long-term food security.
On this International Day for Biological Diversity, we must commit not only to protect India’s marine wealth but to ensure it remains accessible, equitable, and regenerative for decades to come.