Marine Economy

The Marine Economy, often termed the “Blue Economy,” encompasses all economic activities related to oceans, seas, and coasts. In the context of the Indian economy, it is a vital sub-sector of the Allied Agricultural activities, contributing significantly to food security, export earnings, and the livelihoods of over 28 million people, particularly the coastal fisher communities.

Current Status and Macro-Economic Indicators

India possesses a vast maritime footprint that provides a natural competitive advantage in marine production.

• Coastline and EEZ: India has a coastline of 7,516.6 km and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of over 2 million square kilometers.
• Global Ranking: India is the 3rd largest fish-producing nation and the 2nd largest aquaculture producer globally.
• Contribution to GVA: The fisheries sector contributes approximately 1.1% to India’s overall Gross Value Added (GVA) and about 6.7% to the Agricultural GVA.
• Export Performance: Marine products are among the largest agricultural export items. In FY 2023-24, India exported marine products worth over USD 7.3 billion, with frozen shrimp being the flagship commodity.

Components of the Marine Economy

The sector is broadly divided into Marine Capture Fisheries and Culture Fisheries (Aquaculture).

Marine Capture Fisheries

This involves the harvesting of naturally occurring living resources from the sea.

• Resources: Major species include Indian oil sardine, Indian mackerel, ribbon fish, and various types of tuna and cephalopods.
• Zonal Harvesting: India utilizes the Territorial Waters (up to 12 nautical miles) and the EEZ (up to 200 nautical miles) for fishing.
• Vessel Classification: Categorized into traditional non-motorized crafts, motorized boats, and mechanized trawlers.

Marine Aquaculture (Mariculture)

Mariculture is the farming of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, enclosed sections of the ocean, or in tanks/ponds filled with seawater.

• Key Species: Seaweed, mussels, oysters, pearls, and marine finfish like Cobia and Pompano.
• Seaweed Farming: This is emerging as a high-potential sub-sector for carbon sequestration and providing alternative livelihoods for coastal women.

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)

Launched in 2020, PMMSY is the flagship scheme for the integrated development of the fisheries sector with an estimated investment of ₹20,050 crore.

• Targets by 2024-25:
  • Enhance fish production to 22 million metric tonnes.
  • Double the export earnings to ₹1,00,000 crore.
  • Reduce post-harvest losses from 20-25% to about 10%.
• Sagar Mitra: Employment of youth in coastal villages to act as a bridge between the government and the fisherfolk.
• Cluster-Based Approach: Focus on developing specialized clusters for seaweed, ornamental fish, and saline-alkaline culture.

Institutional and Regulatory Framework

The governance of the marine economy is shared between the Union and the States under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.

• Jurisdiction: “Fisheries” beyond territorial waters is a Union subject (Entry 57, Union List), while fisheries within territorial waters is a State subject (Entry 21, State List).
• Key Agencies:
  • NFDB: National Fisheries Development Board (Hyderabad) for developmental activities.
  • MPEDA: Marine Products Export Development Authority (Kochi) for export promotion.
  • ICAR-CMFRI: Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (Kochi) for scientific research.
  • Coast Guard: Responsible for the enforcement of the Maritime Zones of India Act.

Blue Revolution and Infrastructure Trends

The “Neel Kranti” or Blue Revolution aims at the economic prosperity of the country through the “Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries.”

• Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF): A dedicated fund providing concessional finance to State Governments and private entrepreneurs for the creation of fisheries infrastructure.
• Fishing Harbours: Modernization of major fishing harbours (e.g., Kochi, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Paradip, and Petuaghat) to international standards.
• Deep Sea Fishing: Encouraging traditional fishers to migrate to deep-sea fishing through the introduction of modern deep-sea vessels to reduce pressure on coastal waters.

Key Production Statistics by State

Major Challenges in the Marine Sector

• Over-exploitation: Depletion of fish stocks in near-shore waters due to overfishing and bottom trawling.
• Climate Change: Rising sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification affecting fish migration patterns and coral reef ecosystems.
• Pollution: Marine plastic debris and industrial runoff leading to “Dead Zones” in coastal waters.
• SPS Barriers: Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures imposed by importing nations (EU, USA) affecting trade.
• Security Issues: Indian fishers frequently crossing International Maritime Boundary Lines (IMBL) leading to arrests by neighboring navies.

Marine Economy Trivia and Facts

• India’s First Seaweed Park: Established in Tamil Nadu under PMMSY to promote the “Blue-Green” economy.
• Artificial Reefs: Massive projects in Kerala and Tamil Nadu to promote biodiversity and provide sustainable fishing grounds for traditional fishers.
• Palk Bay Scheme: A specific initiative aimed at diversifying Tamil Nadu fishers from bottom trawling to deep-sea fishing.
• Kisan Credit Card (KCC): In 2018-19, the KCC facility was extended to fishers and fish farmers to meet their working capital requirements.
• GEMINI: Gagan Enabled Mariner’s Instrument for Navigation and Information; a device to provide emergency alerts and fish zone info to deep-sea fishers.