Marine Stock Enhancement in India: Current Status and Future Prospects

Abstract

India is a 12 mega-diversity nation known for its biodiversity richness. The geographic territory of India is an integral part of Central Indian Ocean Region consisting of three distinct marine ecosystem zones such as the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean. India is endowed with an exclusive economic zone of 2.02 million km2, coastline of over 8000 km and a variety of coastal ecosystems. The estimated number of marine fish species known from India constitutes 2443 species distributed in 230 families. According to the IUCN extant (2014), 50 species are threatened (6 of them critically endangered, 7 endangered and 37 vulnerable), while 45 are near-threatened. Marine fish diversity is in ever-increasing danger with depletion of resources. Overdependence on fish has led to overfishing resulting in the dwindling of diversity and abundance of stocks. Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute has initiated marine stock assessment practices in India and its present report in 2016 recorded a total of 709 species which is lower than 730 species recorded in 2015 in the landings showing an alarming situation on the exploited marine fishery resources of India. This situation demands restorative measures such as restocking, stock enhancement and sea ranching.