91% of India's Marine Fish Stocks Healthy, Government Tells Parliament
Maharashtra declares Silver Pomfret as state fish; minimum legal sizes notified to prevent juvenile fishing
The Union Government informed Parliament on Tuesday that about 91.1% of India's marine fish stocks are in healthy condition, citing the latest stock assessment by ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute. The government also detailed multiple conservation measures implemented to ensure sustainable fishing practices.
Union Fisheries Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh provided the information in response to a question in Rajya Sabha.
Minimum Legal Size Regulations
The ICAR-CMFRI has recommended minimum legal sizes for commercially important species including pomfret. Based on these recommendations, advisories are issued to States and Union Territories to implement measures preventing juvenile fishing under their Marine Fishing Regulation Acts.
States like Kerala and Maharashtra have already notified minimum legal sizes for various fish species, including pomfrets. For Silver Pomfret (Pampus argenteus), the minimum legal size is set at 135-140 mm to prevent catching juveniles in breeding grounds.
Maharashtra Declares State Fish
Recognizing the decline in Silver Pomfret stocks, the Government of Maharashtra recently declared it the 'State Fish' to focus conservation efforts on this commercially valuable species.
Protection Measures in Place
Conservation Measure | Details |
Annual Fishing Ban | Uniform 61-day ban on both coasts during peak breeding season |
Prohibited Methods | Bull/Pair Trawling, LED lights banned in EEZ |
Traditional Zones | Reserved for non-mechanised and small-scale motorized boats |
Artificial Reefs | Deployed by states with PMMSY funding |
Support for Fishers During Ban Period
Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), assistance is provided to traditional fisher families during the annual fishing ban:
- Government contribution: ₹3,000 per beneficiary annually
- Beneficiary contribution: ₹1,500
- Total accumulated amount of ₹4,500 released during the three-month ban period
The ICAR-CMFRI conducts periodic stock assessments, with the most recent published in the Marine Fish Stock Status Report, 2022.