A critique on Indian Ocean fisheries development

Abstract

A holistic approach to fisheries development and management, although ideal, seems hardly practicable in the real world. While commercial criteria should necessarily be the basis for the selection of industrial fishery projects, this should not be strictly insisted upon in the case of small-scale artisanal fisheries which generally characterise marine fisheries in the Indian Ocean region. The present fish catch from the Indian Ocean is one-third of the potential catch and half the existing demand in the Indian Ocean region. By the turn of this century, the present population should have reached the 2000 million mark, thereby closing the gap between the demand and the potential. At the present overall growth rate, the potential for most of the fisheries would be reached between the years 1990 and 2000, and the problems of meeting the demand beyond this century loom large even now. The marked decline of the tuna fishery calls for rigorous international management of high-sea tuna stocks and diversion of effort towards the underexploited skipjack stocks. The export-oriented crustacean fishery has already exceeded its potential, indicating the need for very urgent regulatory measures in national waters. While the overriding objective of Indian Ocean fisheries development programmes should be one of food production for solving the problem of regional malnutrition, that the programmes would be commercially viable is strongly indicated by the estimates of present and potential return on investment. Indian Ocean countries differ strongly from each other in respect of the growth of their marine fisheries. Prospects for growth will depend largely on greater economic inputs, a stable legal regime, international cooperation and a massive assistance programme under an international body like the FAO, to deal with the special problems confronting the developing Indian Ocean countries. Development prospects and needs are indicated for the nine geographical/ecological provinces extending from East Africa to Western Australia.