India continues to be among the top 10 producers of marine and inland capture fish, according to a FAO report on Monday.
India has seen 80.8% growth in inland capture fisheries produce between 2004 and 2008, to 9,53,106 tonne; and continues to be among the top 10 producers from marine and inland capture fisheries, with 4.3 million tonne produced in 2008; and the nation also features in the list of top 15 aquaculture producers by quantity and growth that year, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization?s biennial State of the World Fisheries and Aquaculture report released in Rome, said, remarking the industry?s growth in Asian countries such as China and India.
The UN FAO report said the ?striking increment? in inland water catch in countries such as India (80.8%), Bangladesh (44.8%) and Myanmar (79.4%) in the four years since 2004 may be seen as being indicative of sound fishery management in South Asia?including ?re-stocking of wild populations, improved coverage within data collection systems, or a tendency to report continuously increasing production.?
According to the report, Asia?s average annual production per person of fisheries and aquaculture products of 2.4 tonne, a tenth of that of Europe, also signals the key social role of small-scale fisheries in these countries. China alone employs 13.3 million in fishing, accounting for one-third of the world total. The report also points to the growth in employment opportunities in the sector in India and Indonesia.
India experienced a growth rate of 7.1% in aquaculture production during 1990-2008, from 1,017,000 tonnes to 3,479,000 tonne, compared with 9.4% growth experienced by China (No.1 on the list, with production exceeding 30 million tonnes in 2008) and the 16.4% growth in aquaculture seen in Vietnam.
India also contributed 15.7% of the world?s carp freshwater fish catch.